


Inexplicable Development

by mirroredinkparadox



Series: Ours Is A Shadowed Past [1]
Category: Legend of Zelda: The Ocarina of Time
Genre: Alternate History, Alternate Mythology, F/F, Ganondorf goes to the light side, Link goes to the dark side, Link has a lot of pent up rage okay?, M/M, Swearing, meddling fourth god, meddling god messenger, player snark, random manga/manhwa references
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-06-04
Updated: 2013-06-04
Packaged: 2017-12-14 00:04:09
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 14
Words: 45,676
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/830381
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mirroredinkparadox/pseuds/mirroredinkparadox
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>An unexpected event leaves Link bound to Ganondorf, and the Sages unawakened. Zelda must act quickly to save Hyrule and their hero, before he falls to the evil he once fought so ardently.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Unexpected

His footsteps were strangely muffled – he imagined the dark forces Ganondorf had just used to banish Phantom Ganon...somewhere, still lingered to some degree. He scooped up the gleaming Heart Container, holding the crystalline form up to watch the faint light stream through.

"Come on, Link!" He just nodded, ignoring the bobbing light above him. If he squinted, he'd probably be able to make out Navi's indignant form, hands on slim hips, tiny, brilliant eyes narrowed in frustration at him. He winced as wounds he didn't remember getting twinged, and pocketed his prize, yawning as he stepped into the blue light.

"Wait – Link!" He whipped around even as a snarling sound, followed by a sharp crack, ripped the heavy quiet, and the blue light he was accustomed to using to leave dungeons went dark, and he was thrown hard onto stone.

 _Definitely not the Chamber of Sages – move!_ He rolled out of the way of the sword and moved to his feet, unsheathing his sword and holding his shield in front of him unwaveringly in one fluid motion. His eyes were still adjusting to the darkness, but he could hear the creaking, and sighed.

 _Stalfos._ "Damn it." He spun the sword lightly, loosening his grip on it and moving to the side, feeling an odd, wry grin forming on his face. The creaking got louder, and he heard the whoosh of air as the sword came down to his left. He turned and jabbed the Stalfos Knight in the spine, reversing his motion at the last moment and coming back into a backhanded slash that severed the skeletal enemy's spine. His eyes adjusted completely to the gloom just as another knight executed a clumsy jump attack. He sidestepped it and kicked it forward, forcing it further off balance right before he decapitated it. He eyed his handiwork critically right before it disappeared completely. He was becoming a little too comfortable with this; he wondered exactly what would occur once he defeated Ganondorf. Would he be able to find a new life in a peace he'd created? He sighed and rolled his shoulders, thanking the goddesses for the adrenaline coursing through him, keeping his mind off the discomforts that would normally be gnawing at him while he licked his wounds at Lon Lon Ranch, before heading off to his next challenge. He paused, feeling a strange prickle go down his spine.

"Navi?" Nothing; no bobbing light, no shrill scoldings for not being more careful – nothing at all.

 _Where am I?_ He sighed and strode forward, silently filling in the rant he was sure he'd be subjected to by Navi when they were reunited. He was in a large corridor; nothing too complex, no puzzle to solve. _Just go straight, either way; I landed dead center, there's got to be something around here._ The first door, to the right of where he'd landed, was locked. _Left it is._ He continued at a leisurely pace – what was the point of tiring himself out when he had no idea where he was or what was around the – he barely leapt back as the Beamos' beam ripped across the carpet at his feet, leaving a smoking trail.

 _Corner._ A lobbed bomb and the infuriating statue was dealt with, along with three more behind it. They really hadn't changed much since he was eleven.

"Their range just got better." He probably should stop talking to himself, but without Navi, his mind was all he could rant to.

"Great." The next room revealed a total of five Lizalfos – a welcome relief to the eerie silence. He launched into the first, startled foe with relish, felling it with a jump attack and moving into a spin attack with the next breath, throwing three of its allies. Din's Fire dealt with those three, and he turned his attention to the squawking survivor. He stared at it for a moment, wondering how he ever could have taken these things seriously; it was like Ganondorf had transplanted a Cucco into a lizard's body, given it the ability to walk on two legs, and gave it armour and weapons.

 _Unbelievable._ He decided to break the rules and hurled his sword into it. It went down easily, and he calmly retrieved the Master Sword, silently apologising for sacrilege. The next three rooms were empty, but ominous tones – from an organ, if his ears weren't deceiving him – filled the air, getting louder as he climbed spiraling staircase after spiraling staircase. He eventually came to the conclusion – three staircases later – that this was in fact Hyrule Castle – or rather, the perverse image Ganondorf had warped it into. There was a brief sting of doubt in his mind; he hadn't released the other five Sages, and he had literally just woken up a few days ago – did he stand a chance against the self-proclaimed King of Evil? There was something, perhaps pride, that shoved that thought away and assured him that he could do this; he was the Hero of Time, and Farore forbid he forget that.

The final door was somehow colder than the rest of them; he pushed it open and stepped inside, eyes immediately searching for his nemesis. The organ music had stopped a few rooms prior, but he could tell this was the room from which it had been produced.

"Ganondorf!"

"You don't need to yell, kid." He fought the urge to grit his teeth – don't screw up your dental over him! – and stepped further into the room, eyes locking with the malevolent yellow gaze of the Gerudo king. Oddly enough, he wasn't smiling – or smirking, or grinning. Most of the cockiness he remembered from his brief encounter with the man seven years earlier didn't seem nearly as prevalent. His arms were crossed across his powerful chest, a slight frown on his dark face.

"You shouldn't be here." The blonde hero stopped in his tracks and gaped.

" _What_? You pull that cocky little display in the Forest Temple, drag me here, and now you have the nerve-" He yelped when the taller man swept past him, a sword materializing from out of nowhere.

"Who the hell are you?" Link pivoted to glare at the king and paused upon seeing the newcomer, seated – for lack of a better word – above the door, one leg crossed over the other, examining his nails, as if he was not seated in midair before two of the most – if not the most – powerful men in the world. He yawned, covering the motion almost daintily with a small hand.

"Good. You didn't try to leave. Granted, I locked the doors, but I wouldn't put it past you to try to shatter them when you realised you couldn't locate a key." He stood, still in midair, and moved forward, descending as if on an invisible staircase, walking past them until he was on the floor.

"Put those away – unless you intend on fighting one another, you won't need them." He paused, twirling on one foot to face them again.

"Then again...perhaps that would be best. Mother certainly didn't say _how_ I was supposed to do this, only that neither one of you could die. A pity – if I could dispose of one or the other, the Princess would be that much easier to destroy. Damn destiny bond." Link stopped and sheathed his sword, backing up now, eyes narrowed.

"Who are you?" The man wrinkled his nose.

"My identity is conveniently irrelevant – honestly, I had hoped to bypass the usual questions. Just because yours is a goddess often associated with secrets, does not mean you are to bear them." He rolled his eyes and produced a translucent silver triangle, face impassive.

_Can this get anymore surreal?_

"Now, I'm sure you'd both love to know what this is, who I am, the meaning of life, and who will win this idiotic war of yours; I'm sure that's quite important to your little Princess too. I, however, have another agenda – and you are going to make it happen." He held the triangle up.

"I'm about to alter your little quest a bit – nothing too drastic, but it'll force some changes. Now, to make sure neither of you will do something I'd have to kill your for – namely, trying to break out of this little trial I've put together, I need something from both of you." He was a few feet from the door and he couldn't move. Typical. The back of his hand was burning, but his mind felt fuzzy, and he was dizzy.

 _Take a deep breath – this will be over in a moment._ The man nodded once, and the burning suddenly stopped, before he closed his fingers around the triangle, a small, bland smile appearing on his face.

"Back to where you came from, then. I'll be back in a few months, perhaps." He disappeared in a whirlwind of light, his breathy laugh echoing even as two swords sliced the air he'd been standing in. Link barely leapt backwards himself when Ganondorf turned on him, spinning the sword lazily as he stalked him across the room.

"Wait! Wait, don't you – ack! – want to know what he did to us!" He rolled under the next attack and yelped when the world twisted and snapped back into place outside. He was standing on Hyrule Field – and Ganondorf was trying his damnedest to decapitate him.

"Kid, I don't give a fuck what he did to us – I get rid of you, and the Princess is dead either way."

"Link!" Never before had he been so happy to hear the bell tones of Navi's voice. He stumbled backwards and winced – the adrenaline that had been pushing him through the castle earlier was gone, and he was having a hell of a time standing up straight, let alone blocking and/or dodging Ganondorf's attacks. He started when he felt energy course through him, and barely noted the shining pink form in the corner of his eye before he was again dodging a blow from Ganondorf.

 _Faeries. I love faeries so much._ He pulled his sword in time to block an overhead strike from Ganondorf and force him back, whipping the shield forward to hit him in the face, blinding him long enough to deliver a blow to his legs.

 _Stun and incapacitate him, then finish him off._ He was slightly surprised when Ganondorf stepped back and leaned out of the way of the strike, his own attack glancing off Link's shield.

 _Get behind him._ This failed as well; in turn, he found himself sporting an ugly slash across his upper right arm. The back and forth continued, almost as if choreographed, both combatants sporting equal amounts of wounds. A particularly well aimed backhand caused Link to stagger back, holding his hand to his jaw, hissing oaths under his breath as he panted, struggling to draw more air into his lungs, despite his battered ribs. His shield was somewhere near Lon Lon Ranch; they were nearing Gerudo Valley. He skidded in the gravel, spinning to the side and barely managing to miss the slice to his back. He stopped moving completely, breath coming in harsh pants, eyes narrowed on his opponent. The black armoured Gerudo wasn't fairing much better; he had several slashes across his face, his left arm bore a deep cut that had probably severed muscle, and he had an arrow buried in his right thigh from when Link had decided to stop using his shield. His nose was broken – Link had managed to successfully slam his shield into his face twice, the first time cutting his jaw and the second hitting him square in the face. Navi fluttered above him, frantic.

"Link! Please, we can run now – you don't need to do this!" What an odd thing to say. He straightened, blowing sweat damp blonde hair out of his eyes.

Of course he did. He charged, ignoring Navi's scream, slamming into Ganondorf with as much force as he could muster, not even feeling the pain of the sword coming across his chest, right before he almost ran him through. Almost. He skidded to the side a moment too early, the sword slicing across the Gerudo's side, and slammed him into the wall, staring into his amber eyes, barely registering the taller man's hot breath across his face, right before the world surged and he was suddenly back in the castle – in chains.

"You _bastard!_ Get your ass back here so I can kill you properly!" The Gerudo just stared at him, hand loose around the hilt of his sword. Link swore and struggled against the chains, screaming threats and expletives, eyes practically glowing with fury. Ganondorf slowly stepped back, and then turned, limping out, barking an order to a pair of Stalfos standing at the door before it slammed behind him, cutting the furious Hylian's screams off behind him.


	2. Uncertain Beginnings

Navi circled the tall woman, occasionally chiming unhappily.

"What are we to do? Link has never acted like that before! He just – snapped, and they were tearing each other apart, and then Ganondorf just disappeared with him! Oh, Zelda, tell me you have a plan!" The Princess of Hyrule stared into the darkness surrounding them.

"Rauru...do you know what could have happened?" The heavy man sighed, pulling his hands from his sleeves and summoning a small disc to float before them.

"There is a being...one of the Void itself, said to be the shadowed child of our Goddesses, born even as the Triforce came into being. It is said that it is he who took the darkness from the Hero of Time, enabling him to bear the Master Sword against evil. He...is often nameless, but we Sages gave him the name Unumbra. Where the Goddesses are three, he is one. Where they are brilliance and light, he is deepest shadow. He alone holds the key to destroying the world they created." Zelda turned to him, eyes wide.

"Then surely he is a danger to us!" Rauru shook his head, returning his hands to his sleeves.

"Nay, wise Princess – do not leap to that conclusion. Unumbra holds no malice – he simply is. All things must end, and he is the force to bring that end. However, I fear if he has sent a messenger unto the Hero of Time and the Evil King, then a great change is to come to this world. These messengers – Unem – always herald cataclysmic change." His face hardened.

"Our duty has not changed; we must ignore the chance of this change and continue as we intended to – surely there is someone who can save the Hero?" Zelda looked down, brow furrowed.

"There...is one...but he has long been shunned by the light! Surely he would not help us..." Navi zipped around her head, the aura around her flaring in anger.

"Princess, Link could be near death! We have no other choice! Who!" The blonde sighed, looking up at the fairy uncertainly.

"All of us have a shadow, Navi, but as Rauru said, Link was parted with his to bear the Master Sword. He is only barely a true human, his purity is so great. That shadow...he could very well be the one we need." Navi bobbed, eyeing her.

"Then summon him! We have no more time to waste! We must save Link, the Sages – we must save Hyrule!" The princess nodded, eyes clear and decisive.

"Very well. Rauru, please; I must enter the Void – will you anchor my spirit here with Navi?" The ancient Sage of Light nodded, even as Navi chimed an affirmative.

"Enter that darkness and bring this saviour to us – before it is too late." The princess silently reached into the darkness with her mind, finding her soul shadow and merging with him, once again becoming Sheik, before leaping into the shadows and the gate she knew was there. She landed in a crouch, red eyes scanning the foggy gloom as she straightened slowly.

"Hello?" She heard the sword sheathe before she ever saw him, and turned, smiling weakly as the shade stepped into newly appeared light. Crumbling ruins surrounded them, destroyed by the enormous, ghostly trees, each translucent and silver, but nevertheless solid, soaking up the equally ghostly sunlight, a phantom's wish for the world of the living.

"Zelda." She wasn't surprised he knew her name; he had existed longer before she, and with each incarnation of Hyrule's hero, he was there, an ancient link to the past*, a memory that never faded. She bowed.

"We have a great need of you, Hero. Our world's peril is greater than ever before." She started when icy fingers caught her chin and forced her to look up into gleaming, deep red eyes.

"You needn't bow, and you needn't plead – it's been far too long since I've seen the outside world." He yawned, shrugging slightly, shifting the sword slung across his back, before turning to her.

"Come on – you can't come back the way you came, someone on the outside is fucking with things in here – _again._ You'd think after that _first_ attempt people would leave it alone, but _no_." He strode across the ruins, the sunlight filtering through the trees to turn his steel coloured hair a shimmering silver. She knew that the moment mortal sunlight touched it, it would turn solid black.

"Ah – you don't want to know what's wrong?"

"Nope. I imagine Link did something stupid, and I need to clean up his mess." He paused.

"Then again, the last few centuries, people _have_ been summoning me to fight him, probably to fuck with his head – then there's Shadow. Will not take a hint. Stupid remake. I mean, really. I'm the Goddess spawned original. You can't get better than _me_.**" He huffed.

"Fine. What's the problem?" Zelda was glad for the elaborate outfit – if he didn't look closely, he wouldn't be able to see her smile. It faded upon the dire situation returning to her mind.

"Something happened to Link – after the Forest Temple. He was transported to Ganon's castle, and we couldn't contact him. Rauru believes he was warped there by an Unem."

"Can't stand those."

"Navi-"

"What?"

"Who; Link's fairy."

"Oh yeah; he was raised a Kokiri. Forgot. Go on." She eyed him uncertainly.

"Navi says he began to use...rather underhanded tactics, and his entire fighting style changed when Ganondorf attacked him. After Link charged him – presumably intending on killing him – Ganondorf warped them both away. We don't know what's happened to him."

"Well, he's alive, I can tell you that much. Here we are." He nodded to an opening in a twisted tree.

"Have at it. I'll follow." She raised an eyebrow at that, but did as told, wincing a little as she passed through a barely visible gate and was again standing in the Temple of Light.

"Rauru!" The Sage eyed her companion warily, while Navi bobbed behind him, trying to seem like she wasn't hiding.

"This is-"

"Dark Link!" The Hero of Time's shadow raised an eyebrow at that even as the fairy shot forward, bobbing tremulously.

"Link has been captured! We need to save him, but we can't get into the castle without the other Sages, who are still locked in the Temples, which Ganondorf turned into dungeons brimming with evil-"

"You're a chatty little thing, aren't you?" The fairy almost fell out of the air at the man's comment, and he snorted.

"Alright. Temples, now?" Rauru nodded.

"The Sage of Forest is – distraught, but with this Medallion, her power will be as yours." He paused, and uncertainty stole across his face.

"I...may have a way to see what has become of our Hero. I cannot be certain of it yet. Please, go to the Fire Temple and see to the Sage there. I will tell you if it works when you return. Have faith and make haste to Death Mountain." Before either fairy or shadow could object, blue light gathered around them and placed them in the Temple of Time.

"Typical Sage behaviour!" The shadow huffed and crossed his arms, glaring up at the ceiling, before shaking his head.

"Come on – Navi, was it?" The fairy nodded, her frantic motions causing her to drift rapidly from the room.

"I don't suppose you know where he wanted us to go?"

"Ah – Death Mountain is up behind Kakariko Village, but I don't know where the Fire Temple is..." He watched her wings droop dejectedly and winced.

"It's fine – we'll just...look around, yeah?" The fairy perked up and let out a high chime of delight. He rubbed his ears.

"Come on then."

"Wait – hey, wait, Dark! Wait up!"

* * *

Ganondorf tapped his fingers on the arm of the throne, musing over his new "guest". The Hero of Time had, apparently, developed a volatile temper since he'd last seen him – and whether he knew it or not, Ganondorf had been watching him. Those magics he'd been born with had been wildly augmented by the Triforce of Power, and he'd been able to keep an eye on his ridiculously young nemesis – until those brief moments after he defeated his Phantom and that strange man had done...something, to them. The chance to destroy his foe had then presented itself, and he'd assumed, despite the boy's natural ability with the sword, that he would not be able to defend himself. Much to his chagrin, he'd gained wound after wound, something that hadn't happened since his earliest training as the King of the Gerudos. His people did not take kindly to men, as a general rule, and those born into their tribe had to prove themselves even as an outsider would. Those rigorous trials, brutal and constant, hadn't ceased after he became king; they merely intensified, coming less frequently but lasting longer. Since he'd left the desert, they'd finally accepted him as completely as they could, but the scars he bore were a constant reminder of a past failure, and he pushed himself to prevail over every obstacle after that. Link was a curve ball, and he'd been blind to his power.

He rose, still limping slightly, and strode out of the grim throne room, moving down the halls swiftly, ignoring the creaking salutes of the Stalfos and the occasional silent salute of a Gerudo. He'd moved the Hylian to the Princess's old chambers, though magical chains still bound him, keeping him to those rooms and those rooms alone. He opened the door and was immediately forced to dodge when the sword slammed into the wood, and the Hylian launched himself on him, dead set on killing him***. The Gerudo finally managed to get into a position less likely to result in his death, and pinned the slight man beneath him.

"Good morning to you too." Link hissed and tried to knee him in the groin, only managing to further pin himself beneath the larger man's body. He'd never bothered to think too hard on Ganondorf's body – for obvious reasons, it was a strange and disturbing past time for the Hero of Time to have. However, he would now admit, much to his frustration, that the King of the Gerudos was unfairly fit, all hard muscle and scars, scars he could feel in spite of the armour. He growled and summoned strength he didn't usually have to use – the enormous blocks the Forest Temple being one such event – and forced the other man off him. He glared furiously at the Master Sword, frustration rolling off him in waves. The king stared at him, eyes narrowed.

"What the hell is wrong with you now?" Link moved further back, turning and striding out of the room completely, expletives pouring from his mouth. The king followed him, a puzzling sensation rising in him as he listened to his voice. It wasn't particularly deep, nearer the higher end of the vocal range, furthering the wholesome, boyish impression he imagined most got upon meeting the Hero, even if his current vocabulary dispelled it almost immediately. Wavy, dark blonde hair, streaked with pale red and paler blonde, presumably from sun bleaching, fell into clear, brilliant blue eyes that showed every emotion – except in battle. Ganondorf wondered how he did it. In battle, those expressive eyes went blank, darkened to a shade nearer to black than blue, and no hint could be made from them what he would do next.

"Link?" The name felt wrong in his mouth; you didn't refer to your enemy by name like that, as far as he was concerned – and what the hell kind of name was Link?

* * *

Link stopped in his tracks, ears ringing with the word.

 _Since when does he call me by name?_ It sounded odd, hearing his name in that dark, slightly accented voice, wondering how he felt as he said it – why did he care? Surely, he wasn't experiencing some empathy for him? He turned and they stared at one another, amber to blue, searching for some explanation as to what had happened. He sat, staring up at him, arms folded.

"I want out."

"I can't chance letting you run around." Blue eyes close.

"I promise I won't break any of your pretty little army, sir." His voice dripped sarcasm. Ganondorf fought the urge to smirk.

"I can always make more." Link collapsed onto the bed, wrinkling his nose at the slight cloud of dust that enveloped him.

"Go away."

"Where is Princess Zelda?"

"Don't know, don't care." He raised an eyebrow at that.

"You don't care where the princess is?"

"Nope. I _had_ a job to do, and if she needed my help, she'd ask for it." That seemed...off. He stared at him, not really seeing him, mind buzzing. His own goals were close – Koume and Kotake were nearly done with their part of the plan, and soon, he'd need only to release the Hero back to his precious Hyrule, luring the Princess out, leaving them both vulnerable – but what if he changed it? What if he lured the boy to his side? What did Hyrule have to offer him? He summoned a chair and settled into it, folding his arms.

"What job was it that you were required to perform?" Link stretched and rolled onto his stomach, yawning.

"What's it to you?" The cocky attitude, the recent, nocturnal activity, the restlessness – none of this seemed like the hero he'd been watching, the hero who, despite the traitorous Ingo's greed and stupidity, never lashed out, merely went about his business of reclaiming his horse; endured the snobbery of the Zoras, even went so far as to overlook the abuses of those from his one-time home; each event was marked by sharp determination and unwavering focus. Now, that determination and focus was poured into a powerful dislike – perhaps even hatred – of Ganondorf, and constant attempts to escape, the most alarming one being when he attempted to destroy the magical bindings on him with a mixture of a spell – probably given to him by one of those damnable, meddling Great Fairies – and the Master Sword. He'd nearly succeeded, managing to get into the throne room, destroying the majority of his guard. He'd faltered when faced with a Gerudo thief – not because of fear of the dual wielding terror, but because he apparently wasn't sure he could incapacitate her without killing her. Ganondorf had taken the chance to knock him unconscious and return him to the rooms, but the event had been too close for comfort.

"Surely you are weary of this conflict; you no longer need to fight me – is it not obvious that I've already won?"

"As far as I'm concerned, I need to fight you until you're dead."

"What does Hyrule have to offer you, boy? Should you defeat me, you will just be a danger to them. You do not honestly believe you could assimilate yourself into their normal, banal lives?" Link's eyes narrowed dangerously, and his jaw tightened; he'd touched a nerve. Pleased, he rose, turning to leave.

"I will allow you to wander the castle proper – do not, however, attempt to leave. I would hate to have to destroy one of your beloved villages." Of course, he'd already left one city empty, its inhabitants doomed to be devoured by an ancient menace, while another stood silent, its populace trapped beneath the ice. A pity Link was so sensitive to that.

* * *

The Hylian leapt to his feet, following the taller man out.

"You're just going to leave it alone? No torture, not even the slightest insistence?" He almost ran into him when he stopped and turned, eyes glittering.

"It never occurred to me you desired to be tortured." The silence echoed with Link's unspoken indignation, indignation that faded into fascination as he slid past the king to ease an ancient Gerudo blade off the wall, gazing at it, blue eyes icy with focus. The king watched him examine it, holding it expertly, as if the last seven years hadn't passed in sleep but in study. It wasn't as if it hadn't occurred to him the danger of this move, but if all else failed, he could kill him with magic.

"Interested in using it?" Why he would take up the hereditary blade of the Gerudo kings when he had the Master Sword, he couldn't fathom...

"I can't touch it."

"What?" The Hylian sighed, performing a complex show move, tossing the sword into the air and catching it, whipping it over his head and down into an overhead strike, meant to cleave an enemy's spine.

"I can't touch the Master Sword without it burning through my gauntlets – which is what you're wondering." This silence was heavy with shock, Ganondorf staring into the young man's dull eyes, the words roaring through his mind over and over again.

"The implications are staggering – aren't they?" The icy drawl was almost the embodiment of his change; where he had once been something of light and wind, Hyrule's savior, the one who would lead them to peace and justice, he was now cloaked in darkness and ice, and perhaps with some prodding, he could bring him to his side – but that begged the question, did he want him on his side? Strange stirrings made themselves known whenever he was anywhere near him, and they ate at him, whispering in his dreams, leaving his waking and sleeping hours fraught with restlessness.

"Ganondorf." He started and stared at at him. The other man shook his head, an odd, bittersweet smile lingering on the edges of his mouth.

"Duel?"

* * *

Navi circled her new partner.

"Dark? Are you alright?"

"Why do you insist on calling me that?"

"...Well...you're Link's dark side – Dark Link. Dark Link is sort of cumbersome, so I just call you Dark." He blinked at her.

"...Strange, strange fairy. So, we need to go through Kakariko-"

"No! Remember what Zelda told us outside of Lon Lon Ranch?" The Hylian shade stopped and groaned.

" _Kakariko is full of people who know Link – if not personally, by sight. You are his shadow, and because of Ganondorf's evil, they will assume you are a danger to them and their Hero as well. I cannot get the Ocarina of Time back, but I believe the Great Fairy near Zora's Domain can help you. You have everything Link has – save for the Ocarina of Time and the Master Sword. The Sword, I can reclaim and deliver to you."_

" _But I can't touch it!" Dark snapped, frustrated with the seemingly impossible tasks the Sages were demanding of him. Link's quests had never been simple matters – but this was ridiculous. Then again, perhaps that came from his discomfort in this world. He'd never had a chance to really get to know it – not since he'd first come into being with Link's first incarnation. Those brief years had been shattered when they'd been separated by some incandescent man with dark eyes – the one the Sages called Unumbra._

" _Dark Link, you have the potential to save this world, just as Link does. He has always had the potential to fall – it's the nature of those of us who depend on the light to hold us up. You have lived in the shadows, oft times because the light mistakenly shunned you, but no being can live with only one or the other. I believe the Unem may have brought the tensions in Link to bear for the last time." She sighed, worry etching lines around her mouth._

" _Please – go to Zora's Domain. I will get the Sword." She began to turn away, then paused._

" _Can you whistle?"_

" _Yeah – it's a hazard of having no one to talk to. You can make the most fascinating noises." She smiled dryly._

" _Perhaps that will be of use to you soon. It's a long walk around the world."_

"Damn cryptic woman. A Sage if I've ever seen one." Navi fluttered around his head.

"Princess Zelda? A Sage?"

"Same as Saria and Rauru." The fairy oh'd and shrugged, about to resign herself to the man's collar when something occurred to her.

"Hey – is that snow?" He paused and looked up, jaw tightening as he noted the fluffy white flakes.

"It is – what the hell, it doesn't snow out here; it barely snows in Hyrule at all – not now, anyway." He wrinkled his nose as a bit of the cold stuff managed to touch his throat.

"Great. Let's move faster." Navi slid under his collar as he took off at a run, moving surprisingly fast.

 _Of course, he's not human, so..._ He leapt over the small flow of water and ignored the Octorok completely, moving up the walkways to stand in front of the waterfall.

"Oh dear. Dark, we usually used the Ocarina here – how are you going to get in?" The shade eyed the Triforce beneath him, puzzled, then sighed.

"Just _great_. Navi?"

"Yes?"

"How good are your ears?"

"...I'm sorry?"

"Can you tell when someone's off key?"

"As in, when they're singing?" The shade looked miserable.

"Yeah." The fairy freed herself from her makeshift shelter and drifted up next to him.

"I guess – not too many people sing in the forest." He sighed again.

"He owes me _so much_ for this humiliation." Shaking his head, he took a deep breath, as if to calm himself, and finally opened his mouth. The fairy almost fell out of the air, shock causing her halo to flicker and almost go out completely. She'd once heard a legend from the Great Deku Tree about shadows singing the truth of their light's soul – and if so, Link's soul had to be a thing of beauty. The song was simply Zelda's lullaby, but the way Dark sang it spoke to some deep sadness she could barely fathom. Each note rose and blended with the roar of the waterfall, yet stood alone, hanging in the air. The waters ceased, and Dark finished the song under his breath, eyes closed. Navi let out a small, shocked chime, and he laughed.

"Never would have guessed I can sing, right?"

"It's not exactly in keeping with the dark side of the world's hero, is it?"

"Isn't it though?" She blinked and bobbed in frustration.

"Sometimes, Dark, I think you are a Sage yourself."

"Please – that would require me to be responsible." He leapt over the gap and trotted into Zora's Domain, tripping over a small rock and falling into what would normally be Zora infested waters – and was now a sheet of ice. He rolled onto his back and muffled his swearing with his hand.

"Dark! Are you alright?"

"Auuuuuuugh." More muffled swearing.

"Oh. Okay. I'll just – see you at the altar." A thumbs up – or at least, that's what she thought he did – and she was flying through the icy stone cavern, past a large chunk of red ice that seemed to have something inside it, and out into the Fountain. A few moments later, the dark garbed shade appeared, stumbling towards the ice.

"Navi, you do realise King Zora is frozen inside, right?" Navi gasped.

"Oh, goddesses, that was him? Lady Nayru! What could have done this?" Dark shook his head, grim.

"I don't know – but I do know we need to get to the Great Fairy's cave – which is where?"

"Across the Fountain." He nodded, rubbing his shoulder and eyeing the water.

"I'll meet you in a minute."

"Where are you going?" she inquired, spinning rapidly above him.

"I see something down there," came the muffled reply. Navi flew up higher and stared into the murky depths.

"How can you see anything in that?"

"I'm a shadow, fairy – I can see in the dark." She huffed and spun away, flying towards the cavern, wincing a little at the splash she heard. She hovered in from of the cave's entrance, waiting impatiently for the shadow to reemerge. Minutes passed with no sign of the shade, and impatience turned to worry.

"Dark? Dark?" She yelped and shot backwards as he yanked himself into the shallows, panting and – was he _laughing_?

"Dark! You – you – uhg! How could you! I was worried when you didn't come up for air, what were you doing – is that a heart piece?" He laughed, tossing the shimmering thing onto dry land.

"And I thought I was bad." The fairy huffed again.

"Let's just see what the Great Fairy has to offer, shall we?" The shade smirked.

"I think we know what she has to offer."

"Dark!"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> (transplanted from ffnet):  
> * IT WAS AN ACCIDENT, I SWEAR! (...Maybe a Freudian slip? XD)
> 
> ** This is a subject of brief debate between me and Z; I believe she is correct, the name Shadow Link came first, but we have no proof that Dark wasn't there first. In this, he was the original.
> 
> *** Ha. Pun intended.
> 
> A/N:I want to elaborate on a concept I mention, regarding Zelda – the whole soul shadow thing. I personally believe that Sheik is a guy – but is still Zelda (eep; that means I'm a Zelink person after all! . No.). He's her soul shadow – not technically her shadow, like Dark is to Link, but her soul shadow, meaning he's her masculine self. The Sheikah thing was manufactured to some extent to protect her from detection by Ganondorf (stupid much? There's only one other known Sheikah running around, another one showing up is MIGHTY SUSPCIOUS! -cough-). So, that's the explanation and will come into play later in the Water Temple


	3. Undone

The dripping was incessant, and if he hadn't promised to curb his explosive temper, he was rather certain he could have destroyed the room trying to make the noise cease. The remains of Stalfos were littered across the room – whatever caused them to disappear was apparently limited to the Master Sword. Link lifted his new weapon of choice to gaze at it in the filmy sunlight that barely managed to breach the clouds Ganondorf had created to shield his army from the sun's cruel rays.

The hilt was a stylistic dragon with the tail of a scorpion, body of a serpent, and wings of an enormous bat, meant to wrap around the wielder's hand. The dragon's golden flames formed the guard and washed up onto the dark steel; here, the Gerudo mark was etched at the very base of the blade, and that steel extended for the same length as the Master Sword. The differences in the blades were enormous; the Master Sword's design was heavier, and gave a sense of nobility that was lacking in this sword. This sword, however, spoke to some furious power, held behind a thin veneer of beauty that would shatter with too much force. He spun it lightly, letting his eyes flick to the reanimating bones. Ganondorf was distracted by something – it didn't usually take him so long to fling more opponents at him. These Stalfos were better constructed than those he'd encountered in the Forest Temple; they actually moved at surprising speeds, forcing Link to actually exert himself. He ducked the blow and spun into a backhand chop – which it blocked. He gasped at the pain that shot down his arm and flipped out of harm's way, barely registering the sound of water rushing before he was set upon by the Stalfos he'd been facing earlier. He managed to lop a hand off when the water roared into the room, pouring over the walls and swamping him. He didn't have a chance to panic; the force of the water destroyed the crumbling amphitheater's walls and surged forward, bringing him and bits of his opponents with it, tossing him into Hyrule Field. He skidded several feet and barely managed to roll onto his knees when he realised one of the Stalfos was in good enough condition to attack him still. He couldn't get to his feet fast enough; the sword sliced across his jaw and he stumbled back, sliding a bit in the mud, hand pressed the bloody mark. He felt that odd new rage rise in him and let the dragon have its way; his own weapon flashed out and his sight went dark.

He wasn't sure how long he was in the 'trance state'; the five Gerudos who served as Ganondorf's bodyguards referred to it as 'holding Din's wrath'. It was essentially a state of berserk rage; the first time he'd felt it, he'd slaughtered a room full of Keese, Stalfos, Redeads, a stray Gibdo, two Iron Knuckles, and three reincarnations of Phantom Ganon. Ganondorf hadn't said much about it – a strange light always appeared in his eyes when he did mention it, and Link never pursued it; that light scared him, a sensation he wasn't exactly fond of. He trudged back into town, pausing to fish the Ocarina of Time out and play the Sun's Song. The sound of dead flesh freezing was jarring, but a welcome relief to the moaning and screaming that normally accompanied Redeads. The walk across Castle Town seemed shorter than usual; however, it did nothing to stop his suddenly sizzling anger from rising to unexpected heights. By the time he reached the throne room, he was surprised the castle was still standing.

"What the _hell_ was that, Ganondorf?" The Gerudo king looked up, taking in the soaked Hero's appearance. A small, barely notable smirk materialized, hovering around the edges of his mouth.

"Ah – decided to take a short...swim?" Perhaps he just liked escaping death on a regular basis, to constantly goad the hero so. He vaulted over the arm of the throne to avoid the thrown dagger – where did he get _that_ anyway? – and rolled to his feet, grinning at the furious young man's expression. He was immediately forced to move again as the Hylian charged him, movements faster than ever before. He'd dismissed his guard at some point – there was no point in getting the boy killed, though sometimes he wondered if he didn't have them stay a distance away from him for their own safety. He managed to block the next attack with the heavy bracers he wore, and noted the large chip left behind. He hadn't used the sword in years, and he honestly forgot how sharp it was. He sent a blast of dark energy in the boy's direction, forcing him back, and activated the spell on the sword.

Link slid backwards a few yards, checked his motions, and began to charge again, only to feel the sword go hot, then turn heavy. Oaths flew at a rapid pace as he dropped the weapon and assessed the situation. Ganondorf had the upper hand – in physical and magical strength, at least. He was also in the more defensible position. The Hylian straightened and blew some of his hair out of his eyes, feeling heavy calm wrap itself around him as he walked across the room, the space between him and his prey shrinking.

Ganondorf watched those blue eyes go blank and mentally noted that he'd pushed too hard – almost. The boy wasn't going to kill him, not now; something was still trying to fight inside him, though, something that remained of the Hero's courageous essence. Something reminded him that he was still in danger, but too late – he felt the hand smash into his face and forced himself not to move even as the agony of having his jaw broken shot through him. A lesser pair of men would have died from this high stakes, sadistic game, but these two men were touched by fate, and held the essence of the gods in them – it would take more than this odd interaction to fell them.

"Resist the urge to try to drown me next time, Ganondorf." He strode out, cracking his knuckles almost absently as he moved, pausing only to pick up the sword, producing a whetstone from somewhere in his tunic and sharpening it as he went. The Gerudo watched him go, feeling his most latent power rise to heal the broken bone.

The Princess was in for a hell of a surprise when he was finished with her precious Hero.

* * *

Dark rubbed his ears, glaring furiously at the fountain.

"I can never tell if she's screaming or laughing – either way, they still know how to shatter your eardrums." Navi nodded in agreement, the miniscule movement almost going unnoticed by the shade's sharp eyes.

"Well. We have the ability to use the songs Link learned now." The Great Fairy had given them an odd item upon their arrival; it, at first, appeared to be a vial of sorts, with etchings down the clear sides, but was in actuality open on both ends. Rings of tiny lights circled both ends, and the delicate item hung from an equally delicate chain the Fairy had assured them was spelled against breaking.

"You have the ability already, but you need something to imbue your voice with magics not completely part of the songs already. The Princess's soul shadow will lead you once you arrive outside of the Sheikah village." She chuckled, a sound only a little less abusive to the ears than her usual cackle.

"When you are weary of battle, please come back to visit me!" Dark snorted and shook his head.

"Alright – we have Farore's Voice. I'm not exactly looking forward to heading out of here, though..." Navi chimed in surprise, startling him.

"Oh! Dark, I forgot! I need to teach you the seven songs Link already knows!" She twirled around his head.

"Listen!" He sighed and sat at the edge of the cool marble fountain, listening as Navi repeated the song in melodious chimes. He sang along under his breath, committing each one to memory. Navi pestered him until he repeated each one, eyeing her malevolently.

"Well. You know them all – so, let's warp to the forest! We can leave the Lost Woods, cut through Kokiri Village, and ride Epona up to Kakariko."

"Isn't that more work than it's worth?" She huffed, crossing her tiny arms.

"Dark, we need to make sure Ganondorf isn't tracking us – the forest is the only cleansed area, and Epona can get us to the village faster than we can walk there!" He held up his hands in surrender and sang the Minuet of Forest, activating Farore's Voice with a silent prayer, and started when cool wind, shining with emerald light, twisted around him. The scent reminded of him of spring – fresh, and green, for lack of a better description. The world around him disappeared in a flash of brilliant, verdant light, and then he was standing in front of the Forest Temple.

"Well then. I'll just-"

"Wait, Dark!" He stopped and looked up at the fairy.

"Yes, Navi?" he intoned dryly, exasperation written clearly in his red eyes.

"There's an enormous Moblin down there, with a club! You need to shoot it from out of its range!" Dark looked down the stairs, up at Navi, back down the stairs, and smirked.

"Thanks for the tip, but I like my way better."

"Dark!" He shot down the stairs, moving to the left and noting the shockwave that shot past him.

"Dark, he's aiming right for you!" He sighed – he could see that, thank you very much – and moved to the center, then to the right. The constant traveling from side to side brought him right under the enormous creature, and he capitalized on his position with relish. A slice across the unprotected backs of its knees, followed by two spin attacks felled it in moments. He examined his handiwork even as he cleaned the blade on the edge of his tunic, grimacing a bit. The beast disappeared, per usual, and he started when he heard clinking. Several shining gems in a lovely red colour sat where the beast's body had previously been.

"Ooh – shiny." Navi gaped as he sheathed his sword and scooped up the three Rupees, holding them up and grinning like an idiot. She bobbed frantically around his head, careful not to actually hit him.

"Dark, now is not the time to realise you are part magpie! We have to save Link, and Hyrule, but first we need to go to the Fire Temple – are you even _listening_ to me!" Dark blinked and looked up at the frantic fairy.

"I'm sorry – what?" She let out a particularly piercing groan of exasperation and shot out of the stairway, some questionable language flying from her at an alarming rate. Dark coughed and sighed, moving out into the corridor, only to hear a bellow and pounding feet. Only his self preservation instinct moved him to the ladder, and he scrambled up it just in time to avoid being speared by another Moblin.

"What the _hell_." Navi was on the other side of the maze, and he sighed, performing jump after running jump, rolling out of the last one and stumbling into the next area. Navi bobbed in front of one of the four openings.

"Through here – it'll lead us directly to Kokiri Village." He followed her out, feeling an odd popping sensation in his ears before they walked out onto a cliff overlooking the small village. It was ridiculously linear, but something drew him away from his entrance, to the other side of the village.

"Dark!" He started when the fairy hissed in his ear.

"We can't let you be seen! You look just like Link, only – dark! They don't remember him, not as he is now, but they will probably remember you! Come on!" He followed her again, hesitant, eyes shooting back to the path leading away from the village.

"Where does that lead?"

"The Great Deku Tree's grove; the sprout is all that's out there now, other than a few Deku Babas." She paused, her wingbeats slowing.

"Why, Dark? It's not important."

"...I don't know. Something feels...odd..." He continued to stare.

"I think we need to go over there." The fairy groaned, snapping her wings irritably.

"Dark, you're probably just having a residual connection to it from Link!" The shadow opted to ignore her, moving along the edge of the cliff to drop down behind the red-rimmed building, edging around it towards the path, darting into the opening and running into the grove, dodging the three Deku Babas with little more than a cursory glance. The sunlight that chose to stream into the grove slanted across what he assumed was the Deku Tree Sprout.

"Um. Hi."

"Hello, Dark Link! A pleasure and a joy to see you!" The shadow raised and eyebrow at the permanently smiling form.

"Ah...sure. I just..." What was there to say? He'd been curious.

"Curiosity is healthy, old boy, don't doubt it." Why so jolly?

"Why so serious?*" He shook his head.

"Um. I guess – anything you want to tell me?"

"Nothing you don't already know – save for this; your light counterpart fell much harder than I expected. You must realise there is a great chance you will fail to bring him back from the darkness." He swallowed.

"Um – Great – Sprout, I must ask; if we do fail...will we win against Ganondorf?"

"Have you ever won without Link before?"

Navi floated lazily around Dark's head as they left the forest – possibly for good – and walked out into Hyrule Field.

"You remember Epona's Song?"

"Are you sure she'll come? And more importantly, if she'll let me ride her? I'm not technically Link."

"You'll be fine, Dark – I have the utmost faith in you." He looked up at her wearily, sighed, and nodded. Navi swayed a little bit with the notes, smiling absently at the sound of the horse's whinny and the pounding of hooves as the red gold mare hurtled around the corner, slowing to halt and whinnying again, headbutting Dark's chest with a snort. He ran his fingers through her mane, smiling.

"To Kakariko?"

"Aye!**"

* * *

Ganondorf watched the Hylian move through each obstacle, barely hesitating, leaping from one of the large platforms to land in a crouch in the center of the arena. Ten Gerudo warriors surrounded him, swords out, eyes locked on their prey. Link straightened, flashing an arrogant grin, spinning the sword lazily – his carefree attitude at odds with those empty eyes. The king straightened a bit in his seat, unconsciously leaning forward as two of the ten charged the blonde. He flipped out of the way of one attack and rolled under another; one attempted to use her spin attack and was knocked back by a well aimed kick to the stomach. He proceeded to disarm her and throw one of her swords at her sister swordwoman, who barely ducked it, stumbling back out of the way. These two women were quickly forced out of the ring, to be replaced by two more. He attempted to repeat his strategy, obviously not expecting it to succeed. He changed tacts, and continued to do so until the final pair. Much to his surprise, one bowed out immediately, joining the eight defeated warriors on the sidelines. The final warrior gave him no warning and little time to react as she proceeded to unleash three consecutive spin attacks, moving from the last one into an X-slice across Link's chest. He spun out of the way and into her disarming move – his sword flew from his hand to bury itself in the ground several yards away. Instead of retreating as any – usually sane – other person would do, he charged her, falling to one knee at the last minute and slamming into her knees, flipping her over his shoulder and rising fluidly, striding across the arena to procure – read: demand and take without waiting for an answer – one of the other Gerudo's swords. The Gerudo king rose to watch this final confrontation more closely, eyes glittering with something akin to awe. The twin scimitars of the Gerudo thieves were not to be used by just anyone – they required a certain amount of precision – he gaped as Link calmly tore his final opponent apart, wielding the two blades as if he always had, ending the fight with a sharp circular disarming strike and pinning his opponent to the wall, both blades crossed at her throat. She slowly raised her hands, conceding defeat, arching as far away from the blades as the wall would let her. Link yawned and pulled away, striding towards the other thieves, tossing the blades to the thief he'd taken them from, before stalking to his own sword and ripping it out of the ground. Much to the king's surprise and amusement, he saluted him from below, a smirk lingering on the edge of his mouth, before he left the arena entirely. Ganondorf slowly sat again, chuckling softly.

"My lord?"

"He is a cheeky creature. See to their wounds, then do as you will – tomorrow you are to return to your posts. Your king is pleased with their prowess." The guards' leader bowed and departed silently, followed closely by her king, who strode up the stairs and followed the sword's magic signature to – he stopped in front of his own suite, eyebrow raised quizzically. The door swung open and the green garbed Hero leaned in the door frame, smirking up at him.

"Took you long enough." He disappeared back into the sitting room, leaving the king to follow him, silent questions visible in his eyes.

"That wasn't your hardest challenge to offer, was it." A statement as opposed to a question, those blue eyes shimmering with sharp amusement.

"It is nothing in comparison to what I endured in my training to take control of the tribe." He sat slowly and almost jumped out of his skin when icy fingers traced over the back of his neck, bringing a warm chuckle from the hero.

"Is something on your mind my...lord?" That hesitation, the odd, almost mocking tone, dragged Ganondorf out of the fog of shock and snapped him back into reality. He leaned away from Link, eyes glittering.

"What are you doing here?" The Hylian stretched lazily and circled him, smirk growing.

"I'm restless, Ganondorf – I need something to do outside of just running these lovely exercises your guard puts together for me." Therein lay _his_ dilemma – how much was the blonde willing to do? He watched him pace.

"If you were able to use the Master Sword-"

"What of it?"

"...I have need of something in the Spirit Temple. You have the means to get it for me." Link brushed wayward bangs out of his eyes, scanning the dark king's face for some sign of a trick – old habits died so, so hard.

"What would I get out of it?" Ganondorf stared, then laughed uproariously. Here was a day he'd never have believed would come; the selfless, courageous Hero of Time, the one who bore Farore's Triforce of Courage, refusing to engage in something without reward! Link tossed his hair out of his eyes again, face blank. The king recovered slowly, still chuckling as he rose and slid an arm around the shorter man's shoulder.

"What is it that you want, kid? I can give you just about anything." He slid out of his hold, striding across the room.

"I'll tell you when I need it – until then," he turned, sheathing the sword, "what is it you needed me to do?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> * I don't own the Dark Knight, but the idea of the Great Deku Tree Sprout being the Joker is terrifying, non?
> 
> ** If you've read Fairy Tail and just twitched, I'm sorry. I don't own that either (Happy and Fairy Tail, I mean.).


	4. Uncomfortable Revelations

Dark yelped and threw himself out of the way again, wincing when he hit the stone wall a little harder than expected.

"Dark, would you listen to me! He's not trying to hit you!" He stumbled backwards.

"What – of course he is!"

"No, Dark – _look_." He did as told, noting the rolling Goron's motions – and blinked in surprise. Every time is approached him, it rolled in the opposite direction! Confusion wracked him as he watched the Goron roll back and forth.

"Navi, what do I do? He's obviously the only Goron left." Navi bobbed uncertainly.

"Um – well, there was a larger Goron who used to do this too – Link used a Bombchu. Just aim it and release it straight at him; don't worry, it won't hurt him or anything." He stared up her skeptically, then shook his head. Reaching into the void, he produced a Bombchu, eyeing it, waiting for his target to materialize. He noted the sound and nodded to himself, releasing the strange bomb and watching it shoot across the floor until it impacted with the Goron. The explosion was surprisingly small. He blinked as the curled up form quivered and mumbled something – he imagined he was attempting to be fierce.

"Sorry, I didn't catch that." The fairy slammed her small form into the back of Dark's head, causing him to yelp.

"Don't be flippant. Link, it's me, Navi! Darunia must have told you about your namesake – this is his shadow. Link is in trouble." The small Goron quivered again and unrolled, standing.

"N-Navi? D-dad...Dad said the Hero has a f-fairy – named Navi-" She nodded impatiently, cutting him off.

"Yes, that's me. Where is Darunia?" Much to both Dark and Navi's alarm, the small Goron began to whimper, then wail. Dark looked at the fairy.

"Any other great ideas? We've looked everywhere, he obviously isn't _here_."

"H-He went to fight the d-dragon! Ganondorf resurrected it, and he's going to feed all the Gorons to it!" The wailing started again, and Dark winced. Navi drifted around the Goron, uncertain.

"Um...maybe you should ask him something?" Dark sighed and nodded, crouching to bring himself more level with the wailing boy.

"Hey – Link, was it? Great name, by the way. Um...what dragon are you referring to?" Like there was more than one.

Sniffling. "T-the ancient dragon V-volvagia – defeated by the hero of the Gorons. A-a lot of people t-think it's a myth, but I know it's true, because my dad is a descendant of that hero!" He was wringing his hands together and staring at Dark with enormous, watery dark eyes, and the shadow swallowed hard. He was slowly becoming acclimated to this new environment and insane job, but he still wasn't a people person. But those eyes, those unbearably large, trusting eyes, were tearing something apart inside of him, forcing him to really _feel,_ instead of just being a smartass with a penchant for saving the world when his light side stumbled – a rare event, but one that had occurred before nevertheless.

"Ah..." The whimpering was starting again – no wailing, though; progress.

"So – the Gorons and your dad are...?"

"I-In the Fire Temple. Please! You must help my dad and the others! I know you can do it?" Really, kid? No question as to why the Hero of Time's _shadow_ was there and not the Hero himself? Dark sighed and nodded. The boy's eyes grew large again, but this time with joy and, Goddesses, _why_ , hope.

"Thank you! Oh, thank you! Please, take this – you won't make it very far in the Fire Temple without it!" He blinked, then gaped as the boy produced the deep red tunic, pressing it into his hands.

"What-"

"This is the Goron's tunic! It'll let you endure the extreme heat in Death Mountain Crater!" He beamed, and Dark absently wondered why he kept expecting a ding or some sort of music to start playing.

"Thanks. ...I'll...just-" Wait. He didn't even know how to get to the Temple.

"Oh! Try pulling the big statue in Dad's room!" Did he say that out loud? Whatever, he got an answer...

"Thanks again. I'll see you in a few." The Goron waved as he dropped from the edge, wincing a little at the landing. Navi snorted.

"Smooth, Dark."

"Shut up, glitterbug."

* * *

Link paced, eyes flicking to the Master Sword, leaning against the wall, and back to the window, staring out at the perpetual darkness that surrounded the castle. He felt uneasy – those instincts that had led him through the Forest Temple were humming like mad. He need _out_. A snarl left him as he whipped around, picking up the Master Sword, ignoring the burning sensation that was slowly turning his hand numb with the constant pain, and stalked out of the room, slamming the door behind him.

* * *

Ganondorf didn't need tracking spells to know when the Hero was approaching – he had a habit of scaring the guards by simply approaching – either because he was grinning maliciously, laughing maniacally, or in a rage that promised to obliterate anything in its path. This time, it would appear to be rage; the doors slammed open, one dangling dangerously from one hinge – the remnants of earlier episodes.

"I need to leave." The king raised an eyebrow, turning his attention fully from the map in front of him to the fuming blonde.

"Something pressing has captured your attention?" He decided against moving when the smaller form shot forward and leather-clad fingers curled around the edge of the armour around his throat, yanking him down to eye level. Hot breath washed over his face, and he absently noted the alarmingly clean state of his teeth.

"We," forced a step back, "are not," another step, "going to play this game right now." The grip tightened.

"You're taking me with you when you go to the Gerudo Fortress." He nodded slowly, and he was released. Link examined him impassively, then strode out, buckling the Master Sword on even as Ganondorf realised what the smell he'd barely noted before being accosted was – burnt flesh. He dismissed the rest of his guard to prepare their mounts, before following the Hero out, eventually cornering him in a courtyard – the same courtyard he'd first seen him in. He snorted at the irony even as he caught the boy's hand and pulled the gauntlet off, staring at the blistered flesh.

"Deika*..." Link raised an eyebrow at that, even as gold light left the taller man and wreathed his hand in a perplexing sensation, before he hissed in surprise, snatching his hand away as the skin mended itself. The king merely nodded to the entrance and strode out, leaving the Hero to slump onto the steps.

This effervescent, unending anger that gnawed at him all the time, and for the first time since he'd first walked out into Hyrule Castle Town upon awakening seven years after opening the Door of Time, fear clamped its powerful jaws around his heart and began to sap his confidence, his strength. He didn't understand the strange surge of fury that accompanied every moment near the Master Sword, and of late, strange dreams had plagued his sleep, stealing his comfort and demolishing what little rest he got, leaving him restless and wrathful. The anger morphed into some strange sort of flirtation when near Ganondorf; occasionally Link would remember that this man had destroyed the world he – sort of – called home, but then the dragon coiled in his heart would unfurl its wings and snarl cruel truths into his mind; these people had done nothing for him – he had lived in peace, only to be snatched from safety and thrown into battle with little preparation and almost no help. He rarely fought the dragon – he had known it was there from the moment he truly began to think and understand the world around him. It usually was dormant; coiled around his heart, sleeping, malice and fury held in a golden and azure body, beauty and light surrounding a core of hate that terrified him, and yet they coexisted perfectly. It defied his understanding, limited as it was, of the universe. Hate and anger seemed to be at the core of everything he was fighting against – Ganondorf in essence. They were the dark forces they fueled wars – they, along with greed and many others, brought anguish to the world as nothing else did.

 _Save for love_. He flinched, wrapping his arms around himself. The dragon's voice was so much _stronger_ now, and it's cold, crisp logic never ceased to bring him to a screeching halt. He leaned back against the stone, eyes fluttering closed. Why would the Goddesses knowingly leave such dangers on earth? Why would Din allow her power to merge with someone like Ganondorf, and why would the Goddesses willing leave their chosen to struggle for eternity when they probably could have stopped the feud thousands of years prior?

 _Is your real question really the why, or rather what it has to do with_ you _?_ He gritted his teeth and sat up.

"Just shut _up_."

 _Oh, Link – that's like asking you to cut your own tongue out. Rejoin your King of Evil. I imagine he is impatient to leave._ He snorted and rose, stalking out the courtyard, leaving behind the unsettling thoughts and letting the dragon have its way – again.

* * *

The blast of fire very nearly engulfed the fatigued warrior, who had recently realised that the Goron's tunic did not actually protect against fire itself – only heat and certain lavas, of all things.

 _Damn it._ He eyed the seemingly innocuous pairs of pillars and hissed under his breath.

"Navi, can you fly through and see where I'm supposed to go? Stupid timed switches..." The fairy chimed sympathetically and flew ahead of him, tracing the path twice, before returning to him.

"Just hit the switch and follow me – if you stay close, you won't get fried."

"Thanks, glitterwings, just get moving." He pressed the switch down with one foot and broke into a run, following the surprisingly fleet fairy, dragging himself up onto the platform just as the wall of fire shot up behind him with a roar. He rolled onto his back and stared at the ceiling, panting.

"Ow..." Navi bobbed above him.

"You can rest out here, but we need to move on." He nodded, swallowing, and rolled onto his knees, forcing himself to his feet and stumbling over to the clay pots, shattering them with unnecessarily powerful strikes, gathering the bombs and walking slowly to the door, eyeing it skeptically. He lobbed a bomb at it, stepping back and nodding when nothing happened, before cautiously continuing. He quickly ran through the information the Gorons he'd freed had given him, when the door locked and an odd, crackling laugh filled the air. A flaming, spindly form spun up from the platform in the center of the room and glided to the floor, still laughing, spinning.

"Navi-"

"I don't know. I really don't." They were both too tired to react to the strange laughter, and Dark decided that with that fatigue, shortcuts were allowed – not many things could survive being blown to bits, right? He chucked yet another bomb, leaning against the wall as it exploded and the flaming form dissipated, leaving behind – what the hell?

"Is that...a heart?"

"Look a little like a bomb."

"It squeaks."

"Hey...do you think we should, maybe, hit it with your sword?"

"...Eh. Doesn't seem like it's worth the effort, but sure." He shrugged, unsheathing his dark mirror of the Master Sword, and waited for the heart-bomb to run to him again. It appeared, squeaked, then howled when he calmly sliced into it, battering it with as many hits as he could get in before it fled. This repeated itself until it leapt back onto the platform, presumably to reform its original form. Dark yawned, returning to his wall. This was going to get tedious.

The battle continued, the monotony barely broken by the flaming creature changing colours and throwing flames, but eventually the heart-bomb exploded, and the door unlocked. Dark meh'd and sat on the platform without thinking – and thus, Navi was treated to a rather fascinating sound that resembled a squeal of surprise when the block rose into the air, leaving them in a new room.

"What an _interesting_ noise, Dark."

"Shut up! It startled me! I'm tired!"

"Uh-huh." She smirked as he dragged himself off the platform, eyeing it balefully, before flopping over and groaning.

"Can I-"

"Go on and sleep. We're safe in here." He grumbled and closed his eyes.

* * *

Navi let him nap for several hours, before gently bumping against his nose.

"Wake up, Dark – let's see what else is in here and awaken the Fire Sage!" He groaned and slapped her away, yawning.

"I dun wanna..." She sighed.

"Oh, Nayru bless it! Why does this always happen to me?" He cracked one brilliant crimson eye.

"Don't swear at me, glittery missy. I'm going." She giggled a little and flew away from him as he rose, stretched, and yawned, working kinks out of his neck as he followed her out of the room.

"Oh, great – a giant staircase."

"Well...yes...but it would seem we need to get to the ring of fire."

"It's probably timed."

"Probably."

"...Let's do it." Navi chuckled and nodded, following him to the switch.

"Take out the Keese first, hit the switch, run up narrow stairs without falling, open chest before fire engulfs us. Easy." He eyed the bow in his hand dubiously.

"If there's anything Link has always been better at than me, it's marksmanship."

"Well, we have all day."

"Limited arrows."

"Just take your time." He sighed, nodded, and began the tedious work of shooting flaming Keese out of the air. It took him several shots each, and he almost emptied his quiver, but he eventually managed it. He blew out a exasperated breath and trudged to the switch.

"See you at the top?"

"Like you said – easy. Don't worry, Dark; I have faith in you."

"Like that apparently undying creepy mask salesman..."

"What?" Dark snorted.

"Never mind." He pressed the switch down and broke into a sprint, ignoring the edge while still trying to stay to the left. It wasn't as hard as he'd thought it would be – there was more time than the fire wall switches in the rest of the temple. He skidded into the chest and barely threw it open when the timer when off.

"Good job, Dark!" He coughed a thanks and pulled the item out of the chest, staggering a bit at the new weight.

"Oh! This must be the hammer Darunia mentioned!" Dark groaned.

"Which means I have to drag my ass down there and save him too, right?" Navi sighed.

"Well...probably..."

"And what the hell is with the Gorons being totally unfazed by the hero's shadow showing up to save them? You'd think someone would _say_ something!" Navi shrugged.

"Don't complain – let's just go." She shook her head at the shadow's grumbles as they descended the stairs. Apparently saving the world was no problem, but the hero and his shadow had the strangest pet peeves.

* * *

A second Flaredancer – as Dark identified the cackling dancer – was the most eventful part of the temple after that. There was some brief confusion about where the boss room was ("How did you overlook the enormous, horned gold lock behind Darunia!" "Damn it, I was trying to listen to Darunia!" "Don't swear at me, puff ball!"), but eventually they got across the lava filled room and into the final chamber of the enormous temple.

" _Finally_." The fairy rolled her eyes at the man's exasperated tone.

"Leave it alone, Dark. We're here, so...I guess you just walk forward until the big ugly appears." He stretched languorously and leapt from the door to the enormous hole ridden platform in the center of the room, watching the platform between them sink into the lava impassively.

"Typical."

"Dark!" He turned and froze, instantly noting the bubbling, smoking hole directly in front of them.

"Navi-" His words were drowned out by the blast of lava and an air rending roar as a slender but nevertheless enormous form rose slowly from the pit, translucent, segmented body pulsing and glowing. Another roar was followed by a blast of fire, reaching several yards in the air, before the pulsating dragon sank into another pit, roar still echoing in the air. Dark hissed under his breath.

"Breathes fire _and_ flies? Not fair..."

"Dark!" He looked over to where Navi was circling and noted the lava spewing from the hole.

"Look out!" He moved back as the dragon's head popped out with a snarl, holding itself up by its spindly, clawed forlegs.

"Hiya, ugly."

"Dark, the hammer! Hit its nose!" Its _nose_? He didn't bother wasting time questioning her – he imagined this thing had patterns just like the Flaredancers. The heavy hammer was cumbersome, rather irritating to wield, but it, with the right amount of force, would probably do a hell of a lot of damage – he slammed it down on the creature's nose and watched it whip its head around, screeching, forepaws over its nose, before collapsing before him, stunned.

 _Sword it is._ A few strikes and it came to, hissing, disappearing back into the pit. He stepped back and scanned the room, starting when the dragon's snarl echoed behind him and the creature rose from another pit, not bothering with the pop out and snarl tactic, heading straight into the air.

"Navi!"

"It's about to start breathing fire – look!" He saw the blast as it was heading for him and barely rolled beneath it when its tail grazed him, burning a hole into the shoulder of his tunic. His following words were nothing if not vulgar.

"Okay, don't touch it, don't let it hit you with fire, wait for it to pop out, hit it in the nose, hit it with the sword, repeat-" He ran around the edge of the platform, skidding across one of the pits and freezing in place as he watched it descend into another hole. He ran back into the center of the room, red eyes flitting from each hole, until he saw the tell-tale signs of Volvagia's approach. He repeated the process – hammer, back up, flay – and again moved away, waiting for it to rise from the earth again. This time, however, no fire followed.

"What-" Chills ran down his spine and he looked up slowly, eyes widening as he watched the creature roar and coil above them, calling chunks of stone from the ceiling.

" _Damn it_." He found himself rolling, skidding, and generally just running like a bat out of hell to avoid the onslaught, barely noticing the dragon disappearing into a pit behind him. A stray shard of rock sliced across his cheek. He stood still, panting, one hand going to his charred shoulder, wincing as stinging sweat ran into his eyes, into the bleeding cut. He saw two pits boiling and swore under his breath, pulling the hammer out of the void and stumbling forward – to the wrong pit. The dragon hot up from the second one, mane burning across his back. He bit back a scream and whipped around, slamming the hammer into its nose, leaping back even as he unsheathed his sword, leaping forward again, executing a powerful jump attack. Adrenaline coursed through him and his mind began to clear; the pain, the muscle freezing fatigue, all was forgotten – everything but the creature in front of him. Navi had stopped talking, simply circling his target, weaving in between its claws, occasionally causing the light wreathing her to brighten in an attempt to blind the dragon. His final blow glance off the dragon's nose, but it was nevertheless effective; the dragon screamed, rising into the air, coiling, forming knots in the air, before its inner fire consumed it – charred pieces of skeleton rained down, and the megalithic skull slammed into the ground next to him, a hollow echo of the monstrous being he'd defeated. Blue flames engulfed each pieces, ending with the skull, which was replaced with a crystal heart.

"You should pick that up." He looked up in surprise, tossing sweat drenched black hair out of his eyes to see Darunia standing in a ring of blue light, smirking.

"Come on, hero – we don't have all day." Navi fluttered next to his cheek, brushing against the wound uncertainly.

"You okay?" He stared up at her and laughed harshly, almost hysterically.

"Yeah – yeah, I'm okay."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> * This is essentially Ganondorf calling him an idiot. It also translates as young – basically going to that with age comes wisdom thing.
> 
> First time I ever wrote a fight scene, right there.


	5. Underwater Struggles

Ganondorf leaned over Strife's neck and trailed his fingers through his mane, watching the rest of the Gerudos gather on the other side of the broken bridge. Link was the only one left with him on the Hyrule Field side, playing with his mare's mane, eyes blank as he surveyed the once forbidden land on the other side. The mare seemed restless, oddly enough, nothing like the calm mount he'd seen the boy steal from Ingo. She kept trying to turn back to Hyrule Field, stamping and snorting, eyeing the small wooden plank, calming only when Link touched her head, murmuring to her under his breath.

"You will have to complete a series of tests before they allow you to join them."

"As if my life up to this point hasn't been a series of tests anyway." He shook his blonde hair out of his eyes, wheeling Epona towards Hyrule Field, walking her a little ways away from the bridge.

"After you, my lord." Strife snorted and pawed at the ground, eager to move again, already straining beneath his master. He shook his head and kneed him forward, letting the large animal have its head. A particularly eager whinny left the stallion as they shot forward, leaping across the ruined bridge with ease. Ganondorf didn't bother to rein him in immediately, eventually wheeling him around to face the bridge again, in time to see the brilliant golden mare glide over the space and hurtle forward, past them, into the Fortress. He chuckled.

"Let the games begin."

* * *

Dark stared at the horizon and sighed.

"She's not coming." Navi fluttered unhappily.

"That's odd – she's never ignored the song before. Maybe-" Her eyes widened.

"Maybe Link has her! That would explain why she's not coming to us!" Now she twisted around him, wringing her hands worriedly.

"Why would he be on Epona and not be coming to us? That – that doesn't make any sense!" Dark felt his heart stammer as the Deku Tree Sprout's words wandered through his mind.

" _You must realise there is a great chance you will fail to bring him back from the darkness."_ Surely not...He shook his head, biting his lip.

"It's okay, Navi. Let's go to Zora's Domain again – I remember seeing a cavern across from us when we visited the Great Fairy." She nodded, sighing.

"Maybe we can find a way to help King Zora." He smirked, bowing a little towards the river leading into Zora's Domain.

"After you, milady." The fairy snorted and flew forward, complaining loudly about insolent saviours.

After the Fire Temple, Zora's Fountain was blissfully cold. Dark amused himself with trying to catch snowflakes on his tongue, only to slide off the largest ice floe and fall into the icy water with a shriek and a laugh, much to Navi's alarm.

"Dark! Get out of there before you catch cold!" He pulled himself out, still laughing, wringing the black tunic out, eventually pulling it off completely to attempt to get more water out of it.

"Idiot."

"Fussy woman." He replaced the tunic and adjusted his hat, smirking at her.

"So – I'll probably fall in a lot more in the next few minutes, so chill, 'kay?" She rolled her eyes and drifted to the cavern. He followed, skidding and sliding, almost falling off more than once, before he finally pulled himself onto dry land, panting and laughing.

"Dodging rocks and almost falling into ice cold water while sliding across ice floes is _fun_?" He nodded, trying to calm down, but the laughter bubbled up again and he laughed all the harder for it. Navi sighed, shaking her head.

"Come _on_." He stood and shook himself off, still giggling as he set off.

By the end of the cavern, all laughter had fled, replaced by numbness and nagging discomfort. Navi circled Dark's head after he finally felled the White Wolfos.

"Hi, Sheik – or Zelda. ...Whatever..." He rubbed his eyes, wincing a little. The Princess's soul shadow glided forward silently, touching Dark's jaw almost hesitantly.

"You seem much more tired than I expected...perhaps we were wrong to place this burden on you..."

"But it was fine to put it on the shoulders of an eleven year old boy?" The hand withdrew, red eyes turned cold.

"Fate chose him – we could do nothing to stop that."

"Then why is he in Ganondorf's hands now? Is that _fate_ too?" Suddenly Dark was freezing and burning, all at once – fury and loneliness twisted in his gut, tangling, knotting, forming a leaden mass of pain there. How long had Link gone without contact with anyone other than Navi and monsters Ganondorf littered throughout the world? How long was he all alone, when even Navi could no longer stay awake, worn from enduring dark energies that drained even the most fit of mortals? Sheik looked away, having read those horrified thoughts in the Hero's shadow's crimson eyes.

"What do I have to do?" He started, turning back to Dark. Gauntlet clad hands were curled into fists, eyes glowing with new determination – he was now, truly, a mirror image of Link. Sheik slowly produced the harp, eyes sparkling, feeling hope rising for the first time since they'd fled Hyrule Castle seven years earlier.

Dark sang along to the shining, pure notes of the Serenade of Water, wryly noting the irony of it – learning a song about reflection when he'd finally come to understand, at least a little bit, his light counterpart. Sheik departed without fanfare, and Dark pulled on the Iron Boots, wincing at the weight on his legs.

"Jeez – I know they're iron, but Farore as my witness, these things are _heavy_." Navi snickered as he groaned and stumbled to the square hole, grimacing.

"Bottoms up." He dropped in, taking a deep breath seconds before he hit the water, barely stopping himself from gasping in shock at the icy water swallowing him whole. He hit the ground and dragged himself forward, wondering in the back of his mind if Navi could fly under water. He eventually reached a door and found himself on dry land, at which point he wasted no time yanking the boots off and returning them to the Void.

"Navi?"

"Here, Dark – I was in you hat." That worked.

"So – Lake Hylia, huh?"

"Mm-hmm!"

* * *

Link stretched, shivering a little as a blast of desert night wind washed over his bare back. He felt better than he had in days – probably due to the lack of dungeons and monsters. Well, he amended that thought, a lack of hostile monsters. He padded out of the Fortress and walked up the hill, stretching.

"Epona?" A soft whinny heralded her approach, and he laughed as she blew warm air across his face.

"Hey, girl...Strife's behaving?" She snorted and tossed her head, almost as if she was nodding. He started when the stallion in question sorted and butted his head against his shoulder. He continued talking to them quietly, savoring the peace, the quiet the desert night offered. Epona was a little skittish; he couldn't understand what was wrong – until the soft notes floated to his ears, and he froze in his tracks, eyes narrowing.

"Who..." Epona snorted and stamped, dancing away from him, torn between answering the call and staying with her master.

"Go on, girl – it's fine." She whinnied and broke into a gallop, disappearing around the corner. He slowly pulled on his shirt and tunic, looking around for a moment, then turning to Strife.

"I don't suppose you'd let me borrow you for the night?" The stallion snorted and looked him in the eyes, as if to say, _Try me._ He swung up onto his back, shifting for a moment. He'd never ridden bareback before, but he was confident he would be fine – with a little time. He gently kneaded the dark horse's sides with his knees, urging him to follow the mare.

* * *

Ganondorf looked up at the shout of surprise, turning away from the guard in charge of the Fortress.

"What-"

"My lord! The kid's gone!" He raised an eyebrow, rising slowly from his seat.

"Where?"

"He left on my lord's stallion, following his own horse." He narrowed his eyes, wondering what the hell Link was thinking, and somehow certain he wasn't trying to run.

"Leave it. We'll see what happens." The guard saluted and left without another word, and he turned back to the map.

"Go on, Mirani."

* * *

Link tugged on Strife's mane gently, and the horse slowed on the rise overlooking the fenced area leading to Lake Hylia. Epona was standing outside the square, nuzzling a tall man who bore a striking resemblance to him. He started when he heard a familiar voice from below.

"Link!"

* * *

Dark whipped around, staring up at the hill above them. The enormous black stallion snorted and tossed his head, stamping at the ground, yet somehow managing to seem aloof and remote. His rider, however, held none of that aloof quality – he was all ice and fire, anger and cold logic. Dark let Epona's reins fall from limp fingers, swallowing hard at the icy rage in those gleaming cobalt eyes. Navi fluttered excitedly.

"You're okay! You're-" She stopped suddenly, her chimes dropping an octave.

"L-Link...is that – Ganondorf's horse?" Blue eyes flickered, and an icy smirk hovered on the edge of his mouth.

"You noticed that, did you? He's a lovely creature, isn't he?" He tossed blonde hair out of his eyes and urged the stallion forward. Dark immediately reached for his sword, muscles tensing as the large horse circled them. He didn't hear the sword leave the sheathe, but he certainly _felt_ it when the icy steel rested against his throat and pushed against his chin, forcing him to look up into his light counterpart's eyes. Those eyes didn't even flicker, but the sword did press closer to his jugular.

"I do hope you've been treating her well." He nodded as well as he could without slicing his own throat, and the sword withdrew, returning to the sheathe at the other man's hip.

"Link! Wait, where-"

"Navi, who is he?" She stopped again, humming worriedly.

"Link, this is – this is Dark Link, he's your shadow-"

"Where's Zelda?" She began to bob more frantically.

"I – I don't know-"

"And what have you been doing for these last few days?" She swallowed hard, unused to seeing such cold light in Link's eyes.

"We – we've been helping the Gorons – Darunia's the Sage of Fire, we cleared the Fire Temple-" The stallion suddenly whinnied furiously, and Link leaned forward, curling his fingers in the blood red mane.

"Shh..." He leaned closer to Dark, eyes locked with his. The shadow stared back at him defiantly, gritting his teeth when the other man snorted at him and straightened, wheeling the stallion around and urging him into a gallop.

"Wait, Link! Link!"

"Should we go after him?" Navi's wings drooped, and he started when he heard her sniff.

"We – no. No, we have to help the Zoras. Come on." He slowly mounted Epona, staring out at Hyrule Field, noting that Link hadn't gone far.

"Gerudo Valley."

"What?"

"...Never mind."

* * *

Ganondorf lounged underneath the small awning, noticing the stony set of the hero's face and his sharp movements as he dismounted, letting one of the Gerudo thieves lead the stallion away to take care of him.

"I see you didn't bring Epona back."

"Ganondorf, what did you do with the Gorons?" The Gerudo paused, searching those blue eyes for some sign as to where this was going.

"I made them an example – I don't take well to people resisting my rule." Honesty. How odd, that this would be what would save him from the furious being before him.

"You failed."

"Excuse me?"

"Someone – someone claiming to be _my shadow_ – entered the Fire Temple and awakened Darunia as the Sage of Fire." He stepped closer, staring up at him.

"I don't think this needs to end." Ganondorf stared at him, one eyebrow raised, expression quizzical.

"You haven't really hurt the populace. They'll do fine if you are a bit more lenient – let them return to their lives." He looked over his shoulder at the Gerudos tending to Strife.

" _They_ have thrived, and their occupation of choice would have suffered with the lack of travelers. Ganondorf, I want peace – I'm tired of fighting you, and I'm tired of having my life ruled by destiny." He folded his arms, jaw tight.

"I am going to end this – and you are going to help me. The other Sages don't need to be awakened, but we cannot get rid of this shadow or Zelda if we don't leave traps for them." He met the Gerudo's amber eyes squarely.

"I want this...interloper...gone. I want to be able to live without anymore reminders of this idiotic feud, this insane quest. Give me that much, Ganondorf." The king stepped out from beneath the awning, striding back to the Fortress. He knew the young man was following him – he could hear his footsteps behind him. He entered the cool building and moved through the labyrinth, moving deeper into the complex, finally entering the suite he always stayed in, shivering a little when he felt the shorter man's arms around his waist. He turned, staring at him, wondering when he'd gotten so close to him, what they were doing – what did this have to do with his freedom? He sat, letting the boy be the aggressor, feeling strangely detached – until those cold fingers caught his jaw, forcing him to meet his eyes. Warm lips covered his own, and the world seemed to go hazy, then snap back into place, and he gasped, feeling light headed and breathless.

Link shuddered and lowered himself into the other man's lap, deepening the kiss, curling his fingers into his dark shirt. The dragon was, oddly, silent – it hadn't spoken since they'd left Hyrule Castle – he gasped as warm hands slid under his tunic, and he immediately leaned into the touch, pulling away with a gasp to rest his forehead on Ganondorf's.

"Mm...I'm staying the night." He needed to be _with_ him.

"Whatever you want..." He was losing his mind.

* * *

The guard knocked on the king's door, thinking nothing of the previous night's events, though her partner was an enormous gossip and wouldn't shut up about it until she'd kissed her – among other things – so she didn't expect the door to be opened by a ruffled Hylian, and she certainly didn't expect him to smirk and push her mouth closed and stride past her, calling over his shoulder, "Let him sleep a little longer." If Mirani heard about this, the world would _end_. She slowly closed the door and walked numbly back to the surface, mind alternately buzzing and standing completely blank. This day was certainly shaping up to be...odd.

* * *

Epona grazed a few feet away while Dark sat on the roof, staring at the dry lakebed.

"Din, Nayru, and Farore – what _happened_?"

"Evil...great evil..." Navi bobbed next to his ear.

"I can't imagine what did this...not really..." She nodded to the blue tunic he now wore.

"Ready to go?" He grimaced.

"I suppose." He turned and walked over to Epona, placing his old clothes in her saddlebags, unwilling to part with anything else for fear he'd need it.

"Just – stay here and graze, okay? Go if Link calls, but be careful. Of course, he cares for you, so you should be fine." He stroked her velvety nose, smiling, and gently hugged her neck, before heading into the lake. He ignored the Tektites – they were nuisances, at best. However, he stopped when he reached the edge of the water.

"Navi."

"Yes?"

"There's something down there, and the gate is closed – how am I supposed to-"

"Dark!" They both looked up as Sheik leapt from the island above, landing lightly, crossing the distance between the swiftly, holding-

"What is that?"

"It's called a Hookshot-"

"Oh! Link got it from Dampe's ghost! It's how we got into the Forest Temple!" Dark bit his lip absently.

"I did wonder about that..." Sheik's eyes sparkled.

"This should help you in the Water Temple. However, Link will probably know I took it. I couldn't get the Master Sword – he has it with him at all times." He shook his head.

"Rauru believes he can help us see Link once you cleanse this temple. Hurry, Dark!" Navi chimed urgently.

"Wait, Princess! We – we saw Link!" The shrouded young man's eyes widened almost comically.

"What – was he well?" Dark clamped his mouth shut, silently cursing himself. He had a duty to these people now, but Link – Link deserved his loyalty, didn't he? He couldn't tell them that Link had ridden into Gerudo Valley, on Ganondorf's horse – the implications were staggering, and damn it, who was he to say anything? Navi fluttered her wings, frustration obvious in her bearing.

"It was brief – he was angry. I don't know if Ganondorf has him under a spell, or if he's blackmailing him – he's obviously keeping him against his will, though!"

"Was the Master Sword with him?"

"Yes-"

"But it wasn't the sword he threatened me with." Fairy and soul shadow turned in unison to stare at the shadow.

"The sword he used was older – of a different style, possibly ancient Gerudian. I...vaguely remember it from something...a dream..." He shook his head slowly and took the Hookshot from Sheik, mouth tight.

"We'll see you when we deal with this – you should go back into hiding. Link knows about you, but he probably hasn't said anything to Ganondorf. Please go." Sheik nodded slowly and backed away.

"Good luck." He backed away and disappeared with his usual theatrics, leaving the shadow to wade into the pool, sinking to the bottom with a jarring thump. He experimented with the new item almost uncertainly, yelping and choking when water surged into his mouth.

"Dark – be careful!" Navi's voice sounded as if it was wavering, something he was certain could be attributed to being underwater, but it was nevertheless uncomfortable. He turned, frustration knitting his eyebrows together as the weight of the water crushed down on him, slowing his motions, making them sluggish. This, however, didn't seem to affect the Hookshot; the chain shot forward and hit the turquoise jewel above them hard and fast. It slowly floated forward and up, resurfacing and floating above them, a bony fish with a gleaming turquoise head. He noted the rising gate and shook his head, trudging forward. Somehow, he couldn't help but sense this was going to be a hellish journey.

* * *

Ganondorf eyed the unconscious hero and shook his head. He could picture the younger man's reaction upon awakening – the carnage, the destruction. However, given his sudden change of heart – sudden, incredibly _passionate_ change of heart – he had to prepare for a new enemy, a new, relatively unknown enemy. He could only guess about the newcomer's abilities, but he was prepared; none of his previous attempts to stop Link could even compare. He looked over the boy's body and smirked. This newest player didn't bother with deference and lies; large, pale purple eyes bored into his own amber ones, their hue so pale as to be almost silver. She, like her mortal light counterpart, was tall and lean; both held an innate power, but where he was brilliant, constant, she was brutal, unending.

"You would have me end the threat to my counterpart?"

"Please do." He trailed his fingers through Link's hair, eyes narrowed.

"Do not hesitate to destroy Morpha afterward."

* * *

Dark immediately came to the conclusion he couldn't do anything on the surface, so he dropped to the bottom of the temple, already missing Navi's rarely ending commentary. He found himself in front of an opening flanked by two torches and shrugged.

 _May as well start here._ He followed the hall, no longer wary of monsters, when the ear shattering screech tore the – water?

"Who are you! Where's Link!" He rubbed his ears, glaring at the admittedly attractive Zora in front of him. He couldn't answer, damn it!

 _He's been kidnapped by Ganondorf – allegedly – and who knows, they could be screwing each other's brains out while I finish this idiotic quest of his...dear Goddesses, please tell me_ she _isn't the Sage of Water..._

"Excuse me? Link is _where_?"

...

 _Shit._ She stalked forward, yanking him forward by the front of his tunic with surprising strength, amethyst eyes scanning his own crimson ones, before throwing him – literally forcing him back several feet – aside and turning away.

"You must be the shadow Sheik told me about." She shook her head.

"Insolent man – then again, I suppose my fiance always had that certain...disdain for royalty." She snorted.

"No respect, and he seemed to be under the impression I couldn't tell he had no interest in marrying me." She turned back to him, eyes narrowed.

"I am sorry. I am Ruto, Princess of the Zoras. I was saved by Sheik, and now I must do my duty to my people – I must save them!" Those eyes glittered with pain and determination, and she bowed her head.

"Please help me. I will save them, but I cannot do this alone." She raised her head, looking up at the ceiling.

"Follow me if you have the courage and strength to lend." She glided straight up, leaving a flabbergasted and rather discombobulated Dark behind. He eventually kicked off the Iron Boots and followed her, surfacing with a gasp and pulling himself into the new room – with no sign of Ruto.

"Of course – of _course_ she's not here." He yanked on cold leather boots, muttering under his breath.

"Wow...she's really grown up." He looked up at the newly appeared Navi.

"Hmm?"

"Ruto – she used to be a spoiled brat, and...ah...well, she gave Link the Zora's Sapphire with the condition that they'd be married when he finished his quest. He accepted, probably not really thinking about it in a long term sense." Dark shrugged.

"She's attractive – if you like women and fish." Navi snorted and they both laughed, accepting the joke in light despite the Princess's not so unexpected disappearance.

"Well – there's a Triforce-"

"Damn things are everywhere."

"-so why don't you sing Zelda's Lullaby and see what happens?" He wrinkled his nose and nodded, rising and striding over to the wall in question, Farore's Voice in hand. The notes rang lower than usual, and a shock ran down his spine when he heard water rushing outside. He whipped around, striding to the hole he'd come up from and staring in surprise at the dry ground he saw.

"...Oh." Navi traced designs with her flight path across the air in front of the door to his left.

"Let's see what's in here before we explore, okay?" He did as she suggested, opening the door and sighing resignedly when he heard it lock behind him. The enemy of choice this time seemed to be – rocks? He approached one, expression quizzical, when gleaming spikes suddenly shot out, almost impaling his foot and calf in one fell swoop, its metallic clinking ringing in the small room. He yelped, staggering back, sword unsheathed with a warm bell tone.

"What on Din's earth!"

"Oh dear...it would seem they are not vulnerable save in rock form." He growled at Navi, her penchant for stating the obvious chafing at him again. Her laughter tinkled in time with the clinking of the approaching spikes, and he opted for a simple defense – he knelt and held up his shield, wincing when metal clashed with metal and the spikes reverted to rock form. He stabbed each one in quick succession, muttering about unimaginative foes as a large chest materialized near the back of the room.

"Thirty rupees it's the Dungeon Map." Navi smirked as Dark bristled.

"Fifty it's a key." She watched with smug satisfaction as he produced a slightly damp map, and stalked out of the room cursing, throwing six blue rupees behind him as he went. She swirled around them, teleporting the gleaming gems to the Temple of Time with a silent thanks to the Goddesses for giving Hyrule hope again – even if they didn't know either hero had ever existed.

* * *


	6. Undenied

"This place is a godforsaken sunken _maze_ , and Nayru as my witness if I were able to meet the architect I'd pry his eyes from his skull and make him eat them!" Navi choked a little bit at Dark's vehement and descriptive complaint. They'd only gone through the first few rooms, and Navi admitted, whoever had designed this place was either masochistic or sadistic – or maybe just insane. Those first few rooms had been a matter of fighting or puzzles, and Dark was soaked to the skin, forced to switch between normal and Iron boots, swimming against currents and fighting multitudes of enemies beneath the waves. She was shocked he wasn't more tired. To further his irritation and the challenges they faced, they were forced to raise and lower the water levels. She followed him out onto the ledge of the central tower, bobbing warily beside him.

"We're on the second level."

"I noticed." He shivered and shook his head, startling the fairy when he suddenly leapt across the water to an entrance where two pots were situated side by side. He padded down the hall, ignoring her obligatory objection to his devil may care attitude, falling silent upon seeing the rows of spikes before them.

"Oh..." She rose slowly to circle the ledge above them.

"There are four Hookshot targets here." Dark backed up and saw one on the wall of the ledge, and three more on the ceiling.

"Of those three, to which am I to aim?"

"The second one, I think." He did as directed and found himself in a room empty save for a chest surrounded by a geyser, and a crystalline structure – another switch.

"Timed."

"Per usual." He sighed and stalked around the hole in the floor to stand before the chest, producing his bow and aiming at the clear switch without expression. The arrow struck it with a chime, and he barely whipped around and flung open the chest when the timer rang in the stagnant air.

"The compass?"

"Indeed." He pocketed the device, dropping back onto the ledge before and leaping over the spikes, returning to the main room.

"We have a key from earlier still, and I think I saw a locked door earlier on the other side of the tower." Navi yawned.

"Let's finish this, then. I am sure we've spent a day at least in this place. Of all the holy sanctums, this seems to be the most..."

"Inane?" She made a face as they crossed the gap on the other side and unlocked the door, the chains falling away with a clang.

"Yes."

Three rooms or so later – complete with more geysers, Tektites, Hookshot targets, switches, and odd, serpentine dog statues, as well as a waterfall – they entered a strangely empty room. Mist hung over everything; strange structures that reminded Dark of sunken picture frames stood on either side of the room, but when he tried to pass under them, it was as if he was running into a wall. A sandy island, occupied by one gnarled, wilted tree, stood in the center of the room, between both doors, both of which were covered by iron bars.

"Navi..."

"I...I don't know. Something doesn't seem right." He snorted.

"What gave it away, the lack of everything or the locked doors that we cannot open?" She recoiled a bit at his acidic tone, and chimed unhappily. He winced and sighed.

"I'm sorry, Navi." She chimed again and shook her head, coming to hover beside his ear as they stood in front of the other door.

"It's fine, Dark..." He turned, stalking back to the door they'd entered through, muttering. Navi circled his head, looking by chance at the island and gasping in time with her startled chime. The shadow turned and froze, crimson eyes falling on the island.

Standing beside the dead wood was a woman, hands clasped behind her back, legs crossed, back straight, wavy blonde hair falling in small braids around her shoulders. She wore what appeared to be chain mail, but he'd never seen mail that molded to a person's arms and didn't restrict their movement. Over this chain mail shirt was a sleeveless leather top, black, piped in silver. Black leather trousers and gleaming black boots completed the simplistic ensemble, though he could see the collar of a black shirt beneath the mail. She glided forward, an odd smirk hovering on the edge of her pale lips, silver lavender eyes shimmering in the dim light.

"Welcome." He ran his eyes over her, ignoring Navi's hissed words ("Just because she's a pretty face does not mean she's not dangerous! Damn it, Dark, pay _attention!_ "). The few women he had come in contact with – Ruto, Zelda, and the Great Faeries, for he had never met the Sage of Forest – were slim, curvaceous, and regal, though the Faeries were more voluptuous and prone to flirtation than the former. This woman was attractive in a striking, androgynous way that he found himself barely able to comprehend; her motions, as she approached, were unconsciously sensual and captivating; he was having a difficult time concentrating, but some primal instinct screamed at him to move, and he barely unsheathed his sword and turned to the side when the discus whistled through the air beside him, ricocheting off the door and returning to the gauntlet clad hand of the woman.

"Dark!" He gaped as she sighed, spinning the discus lightly, before returning it to her hip, flexing her hands lightly.

"A pity that some instinct in you is immune to my wiles – if cunning will not make you kneel and accept death, brute strength will." He skipped back when she lunged at him, revealing what he had not seen before; her hands and forearms were covered in odd, clawed gauntlets. Spines bristled along the outside of the forearm, and claws curled from each fingertip. Raised spikes adorned each knuckle, and one long blade curved down the arm to flare out from the elbow, a spine of sorts. He gaped at them, remembering at the last moment to twist out of the way of another strike, receiving a stinging blow across the side. He hissed and skidded back, eyes locked with hers, jaw tight.

"Who in Din's name are you?" He could hear Navi's indignation, and for some reason, it amused him to no end. He spun his sword in a lazy figure eight, advancing on his opponent with a grin. She tossed her braids out of her face, returning the grin.

"My name is Nyche." He swung; she caught the blow on crossed wrists and backhanded him, missing by scant inches when he arched out of the way.

"I am Unumbra's gift to the Hero of Time. I am the dragon of his soul. I am the darkness that once bound you and he together." She kneed him in the groin, relishing in his gasp of pain and subsequent stumble and fall. She took the kick to the stomach with a snarl and punched him in the jaw, nevertheless ending up thrown across the room by the force of his kick. He rolled away and onto his feet, throwing his shield up in time to deflect the thrown discus, but throwing him off balance when she slammed into him again, a flurry of kicks and punches landing on his shield, forcing him back. One punch hit his thigh, causing him to stumble and fall to one knee; a glancing kick to the head left him dazed.

Navi watched them grapple, terror increasing as Dark's movements became more sluggish and Nyche's more ferocious.

"Dark – Dark!" She screamed in terror when the elbow blade ripped across his stomach. He fell backwards, arms curled around his stomach as he curled onto his side, agony twisting his features into a mask of pain.

Nyche stood over him, panting, some braids uncoiling, cuts across her face, shoulders, and sides bleeding sluggishly, but triumph blazed in pale eyes as she pulled a small dagger from her boot, crouching to press it to Dark's throat. Crimson eyes glared up at her as his thoughts raced, briefly resting on this; it was the second time a piece of Link had threatened him. Rage flashed across his vision at the idea of this creature killing him before he could give Link the second chance he deserved; he hadn't lost hope in Link, hadn't lost hope that he could bring peace to Hyrule, without costing him everything. Perhaps Ganondorf was salvageable; perhaps Link had found love in that darkness that had threatened a world he'd never known before the Great Deku Tree was cursed. If he would fight on for anything, it was to give Link a chance at love, wherever that love might be. He pulled a Deku nut from his pocket, coughing.

"Well, Nyche – it would seem brute strength aided you where it didn't me – but I see my mistake." Her eyes narrowed.

"Oh?"

"Yeah – I made the mistake of thinking like Link." The flash was a thousand times worse this close, and she staggered back with a gasp, barely noticing him flipping to his feet and performing a rapid spin attack, slicing across her stomach, then slicing up across that wound, watching her fall to her knees with a disbelieving scream. Light rose around them as her voice echoed and the mists dissipated, leaving the bare room and its three occupants. Much to Dark's surprise, the shaking form before him didn't dissipate with the mist; she merely curled in on herself, panting harshly.

"Dark!" The joyous crow startled him, as did the exuberant "hug" Navi exacted on him.

"Navi, it wasn't that bad." He yelped when she slammed into the back of his head again.

"You almost died! You – Dark?" He was walking over to the woman, rubbing the back of his head as he crouched.

"Nyche?"

"Finish me off." He gently rolled her onto her back and pulled her into a sitting position; he knew she couldn't die anymore than he could, merely sink back into the Void until someone brought them back with Link's reincarnation.

"I won't – I know you have a reason for this, and I know, just as Navi does, that you aren't some evil, mindless skeleton – you're part of me and Link. Come with us." She stared up at him, eyes fogging over.

"I cannot."

"You can – please, I know you can." An epiphany hit him, and he dug out a bottled fairy, releasing it over her. The shimmering pink form twined around them both, releasing a miniscule rain of fairy dust that sank into their wounds and healed them, all the while refreshing them. Navi hovered overhead, nodding her thanks to the other fairy while Nyche rose slowly, accepting Dark's hand.

"Why?"

"Link deserves another chance – Hyrule deserves another chance."

* * *

Ganondorf gasped in shock as the boy sank his teeth into his shoulder, ice cold hands curling around his forearms, pinning him to the wall.

"Never _ever_ do that again." His hands fell to his hips and Link soothed the bite mark with gentle kisses, murmuring into the dark skin.

"You could have just asked..." He was jerked around, forced to look down into clear blue eyes full of anger and frustration.

"I am not used to asking for anything."

"Well – when Mirani said you were back with the Hylian hero, I hadn't expected you to be so...close." The blonde whipped around, immediately on edge, ignoring Ganondorf's gentle hand on his arm, trying to keep him from attacking the newcomer. Long crimson hair, pulled into a high ponytail and secured by a deep red jewel, fell to her lower back. She, like most of the Gerudos, wore low riding pants that gathered at the ankle and a midriff baring top that covered little more than her chest, both in a carnation pink that seemed odd in comparison to the purple and white he was used to. Long, fingerless gloves in the same colour, red shoes with upturned toes, and heavy gold and ruby jewelry, including a forehead gem not dissimilar to Ganondorf's, completed her look. Amused amber eyes swept over the two men, a smirk lingering on pink lips, though Link was quick to note the faint disgust that materialized when her eyes fell to the king. Filing that knowledge away, he stepped away from the king, dismissing the newcomer completely to focus on buckling on both the Master Sword and the dragon sword, adjusting his gauntlets absently. Ganondorf cleared his throat, meeting the woman's eyes squarely as he pulled on a battered leather coat.

"Nabooru; Mirani said you were in the midst of a pilgrimage to the Spirit Temple."

"The Goddess's words have not changed; ours is the race of great power, and our fall from grace is not approaching. Boy-" She froze, not expecting to find herself at sword point. Blue eyes bored into amber, and the smirk fell from her face only to appear on his.

"Don't call me boy." He returned the sword to its sheathe, striding out without another word, leaving the two Gerudos to themselves. The woman pursed her lips.

"...He is nothing like I imagined." Ganondorf laughed.

"He has proven more ruthless than even I could have foreseen." They both followed the blonde out, strides devouring the distance to the archery grounds in unison with one another.

"You would have him become one of us; does he mean anything to you outside of being a helpful pawn?"

"He is no pawn, Nabooru – that boy holds more power in him than even the Great Faeries."

"He is fractured."

"He is..." She narrowed her eyes at her king, noting an emotion she had seen only once in those eyes before; longing. Ganondorf and Nabooru had once been possessed of a great bond with one another, going so far as to make a pact to rise to the top of the Gerudo ranks and stay together in power no matter what. However, some strange power awakened within the man with his eighteenth birthday, and they grew apart. He did everything in his power to keep her in power, but they were nevertheless distant. Pulled from their mothers and thrown into the ruthless snake pit of Gerudo politics at a young age, they had developed thick skins and sharp minds, but they both had one blatant weakness – a naked longing for love. With one another, they found only companionship, a bond similar to that of siblings, and still they strived for power in hopes of one day finding love – the need devoured them, turning them cold and remote. Now she saw a glimmer of the brother in soul she'd lost, and it scared her – the terror that came with wanting to reach out again, yet for fear of falling, she could not. Even as children, she'd only seen those emotions in him when they'd seen their respective mothers after years in training – it had shocked her to the core then, and shocked her just as much now.

"My lord, I mean no disrespect, but this is a mistake you will not recover from."

"Oh?"

"The chosen of Farore? Please, if you have any self preservation instinct remaining, kill him and move on." He met her eyes again, and shook his head.

"How long?" She started, confused.

"What?"

"How long since I left you alone? How long has it been since we were one another's greatest confidants? How long since you were my greatest friend, and I yours?" He looked up into the washed out sapphire sky, and sighed.

"How long since the king..." She stiffened, anguish ripping through her system. She had thought he hadn't known – thought he hadn't cared. She remembered that night far too clearly, remembered the next morning when the old king had been found dead, throat slit, knife in hand. Ganondorf's coronation and final trial had followed, and she had hidden her shame to support him despite the emotional gulf that had opened between them.

"You killed him," she mumbled, staring at the sun baked ground.

"He raped you." She swallowed hard, trying to block out those cold words, and began to walk faster. Ganondorf made no attempt to follow, merely calling after her, "Where will you go?"

"Anywhere but here."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Nyche can be pronounced niche, Nike (niy-kee), or niche-ah.


	7. Undone in Darkness

Dark stepped into the blue light, sniffing the Heart Container.

 _Getting here was harder than the actual fight._ He narrowed his eyes at the thought of that infernal ramp.

"What do you do with these anyway?"

"Uh...Link always just kept them around. Why – Dark!" He nibbled on the edge, surprised when he tasted something...sweet, yet somehow floral.

"It's edible." Navi gaped at him as the blue light washed over them and gently deposited them in the Chamber of Sages. Nyche had taken the form of a slim, winged serpent – similar, really, to Volvagia, a shimmering being clad in gold and azure scales, delicately twisted horns unfurling from her temples, a small pointed horn at the tip of her snout. She rested around Dark's neck, humming pleasantly. Ruto materialized on the blue platform and executed a gracious bow, smiling warmly.

"Thank you, Dark Link – for everything." Her smile fell away suddenly.

"Save Link, please – I can't bear to think of him with Ganondorf, even if that man was once as any other." She shook her head, eyes mournful.

"I would expect no less from the man I was to marry – always trying to save everyone, even when the darkness we all thought gone from him is swallowing him alive." She sighed, summoning a gleaming medallion and offering it to him.

"With this Medallion, I merge my power with yours; take it respectfully!" He stifled a snort and accepted it, feeling a cool tingle down his spine. Now Rauru spoke up, solemn features seeming more dour than usual.

"I have come upon a way, through the powers of Light, to watch our Hero." He hesitated.

"I do not believe you will be pleased with what you see." Navi circled Ruto.

"Well, don't just stand there, honoured Sage! We have to be sure he's okay!" He sighed, and summoned an enormous mirror.

"What you see is malleable; it is neither past nor future – you see our hero as he is now." The glass glowed, and an image unfurled – an empty stone fortress. The image shifted, and they, presumably, were seeing inside. Link was sprawled across a low bed, reclining, resting on one arm. Ganondorf sat behind him, leaning against the wall, reading a tattered book.

"Do we have to keep it in here? Let them have it." The king looked up and noted what the Hylian was scowling at.

"It's your sword, Link – do what you will with it." He flipped over, glaring up at the Gerudo.

"Pay attention to me."

"Link..." A mischievous grin morphed Link's features, and he rose sinuously, draping himself across the other man.

"When am I going to entertain these trials Nabooru spoke of? I do nothing but lounge about or practice all day, or keep you from killing someone when my shadow further thwarts your plans." The king's expression went cold and he snorted, pulling away.

"Poor Lord of the Gerudos. Whatever will you do; at every turn, thwarted by someone who doesn't see things your way?" He rose and stalked across the room, picking up the Master Sword.

"I'll be back before nightfall, if all goes well. Try to keep your temper." He chuckled when the king waved him off, and strode out. As he moved down the hall, the grin disappeared, and some odd emotion glittered in his eyes before the image faded away. Dark met Rauru's eyes.

"...We cannot do anything about this, but you must go to the Shadow Temple. Sheik will meet you in Kakariko – it would appear you must pass through against all our attempts to keep your work a secret." The Sage of Light nodded to the mirror.

"I will keep tabs on Link with the Medallion of Light in his possession; continue your quest." Blue light swallowed them once more, and they were again standing above the Water Temple – sunrise was a few hours away. Nyche glided away from him, a pillar of blue light shooting up around her, disappearing with a puff of smoke to reveal her human form. They stood side by side, staring at the sky, Nyche yawning while Dark nibbled on the Heart Container, slowly working through the crisp, thin, silver blue outer layer. This layer was actually rather nice – the sweetness subtle, inexplicably floral, the crisp texture undemanding on the teeth. It melted ever so slightly on the tongue, and all in all lent itself to a sublime culinary event – if Dark was one to really pay attention to such things. He looked over at Nyche, pale eyes sparkling with curiosity, taking in every detail. If Link was Farore's chosen – quick to act, reluctant to leave his fellow man to rot – Nyche was Nayru's gift to him; all icy logic and sharp wit, bright eyes hiding nothing, all thoughts flicking behind those clear orbs, emotion showing itself only rarely. Dark stood with them as raw, untamed power – Din's piece in the hero's internal makeup. Dark understood, now more than ever, how incomplete he and Nyche were without Link, and how incomplete and _unbalanced_ Link was without them. Nyche was usually always with him, only rising from her dormant state to keep him from the edge; Dark stood apart, complementing him, driving him – though often in an ambiguous fashion – to succeed in his seemingly endless quest.

"You did it, Dark – you, Navi, and Nyche." Nyche's eyes narrowed dangerously at Sheik, and she moved a bit closer to Dark, face impassive. The lithe man held both hands forward.

"Nyche, I am as you are – I merely merged with Zelda to protect her." She paused, eyeing his hands skeptically. He chuckled, stepping forward, hands falling to his sides.

"I will meet you in Kakariko, then – but first, you may wish to explore Lake Hylia to the fullest extent. You never know what you might find." Dark's hand snapped out, covering Nyche's eyes just as the Deku nut impacted the ground, its flash unfurling sharply.

"What-"

"Deku nut. He's a theatrical little bugger. Probably Zelda's Din influence." She scowled at the space he'd just occupied, turning in unison with Dark at the splash they both heard.

"Pheh." He snorted at her strange noise, sobering upon noting an odd emotion in her eyes.

"Nyche?" She moved a little ways away from the edge of the island, jaw tight.

"Can we – go? Please?" Dark's eyes narrowed, darting between her and the water. _What..._

"Sure – but let's look around first." He nodded to the plaque she stood next to.

"What's this?" They both stood on either side of it, looking down at the inscribed words with interest.

 _When water fills the lake, shoot for the morning light._ Dark sighed.

"I dislike riddles with a passion that could be described as burning or vehement." Nyche shook her head.

"It's nothing too complex. Look; you defeated Morpha and now the lake is filling with water. It's nearly sunrise." She nodded to the plaque.

"Stand there and shoot an arrow at the rising sun – a ray of light would fall directly here with every sunrise, wouldn't it?" He looked up at the reddening sky and nodded.

"Probably." Navi floated lazily around Nyche's shoulders as they watched the sun rise and a single arrow fly into the light. A flash, and a shimmering form hurtled to the island across from them, glowing in the sunlight.

"What is that?" Dark shrugged, jumping into the water without another word, crossing the distance in moments. Navi followed him, but Nyche stayed where she was, sitting on the plaque with a resigned thump. Dark shook his head and picked up the item, head cocked in question.

It looked like an arrow, but a single starburst shaped ruby was embedded just below the arrow head, and immense heat rose from it, heat waves warping the air around it.

"Huh." Navi circled it, her motions expressing confusion.

"Arrows?"

"Spelled maybe?" They both looked up at Nyche's call, and Dark nodded to himself.

"That's plausible. Hey, Nyche?"

"Yeah?"

"Move." She blinked and stepped back as he nocked an arrow, zeroing in on the tree. He let it fly and gaped as the head burst into flames, embedding itself in the tree and engulfing it in hungry fire. Nyche's own dropped jaw mirrored his, only to morph in unison with him into a fiendish grin.

"This is going to _rock_."

* * *

The sword ripped through mail, links scattering across the ground, soundless amidst the cries of the wounded, sighs of the dying, the screams of those left to flee for their lives. Monsters surged against the wall of guards, some still scarred from the last battle seven years earlier outside the castle. They had learned, from Impa and her mysterious pupil, Sheik, how to fight these, but there was no defense against him. The warrior in black and gold armour, tearing through them, never killing them but leaving them wounded, battered, terrified, destroying the world around them with Goddess given spells, flames starting red, yellow, orange, them morphing to some sickly shade of pink, devouring the houses, engulfing the village. Twin battle cries brought hope to weary hearts, smoke blinded eyes widening to see the two Sheikah descending from the graveyard to face this new threat.

Impa stayed beside her charge, trying without realising it to protect her despite the claim that she was her equal, without need of such protection. Old habits died hard, as they said, and ones cultivated for almost two decades died very hard indeed. Their opponent stood at the base of the stairs, eyes seeming to gleam in the firelight, azure gems etched with a thirst for vengeance. The princess's gasp rang in her ears, even amidst the chaos.

"Milady?"

"Link!" Impa turned her eyes back to the man before them, and horror radiated through her as she realized Zelda was correct; this man, the warrior who seemed to be a demon, hell incarnate, was in fact the one she'd once taught Zelda's Lullaby to, the one who was supposed to be their only hope, their salvation. He spun the sword lazily, circles within circles, the blade glinting, shining, a dizzying image against the darkness.

"Why? Why would you abandon us in our greatest time of need?" She felt the numbness of her training rising, defying her emotions; she was calm despite the panic. Those eyes never left hers as he ascended the few steps, sword still spinning, spinning, twirling in the firelight.

"What do I owe any of you? You stole what brief childhood I could have had."

"You agreed-" Her training again clamped down on her body, yanking her out of the way of the striking blade, like some enraged desert snake, the speed awe-inspiring.

"No one _told_ me. It was always _fate_." He snarled that word, spinning the blade and coming back at her in a backhand chop – then whipping out of it at the last moment, striking Zelda across the arm, causing her to stagger back with a cry. Impa moved forward and realized too late her mistake, the trap laid between them; the fallen hero's sword whistled through the air, ripped through the straps on her armour – it fell away, like leaves from a tree in the fall. Powerful fingers curled around the hair at the back of her head and yanked; she was lifted to face him fully, and she saw those eyes for the first time in a light cast by hate and an unquenchable lust for power – the burning fire there was somehow cold, and for once she felt fear, for their entire world. She swallowed.

"You could have asked." Oh, Goddesses bless it, the inanity was staggering. Her voice was weak, raspy from smoke inhalation, but she kept talking.

"You are falling into the darkness Ganon was spawned from – but you can fight this, you don't have to do this. You're angry – I understand. But fate is never a gentle mistress, nor is she understanding. She cares little for man's woes." His laugh was harsh, but she could _see_ it; there was something still there, something that stood apart from the courage of the Triforce, made up his core, his soul – it was bright, and that hope was one she would cling to. She met his eyes steadily, at peace, and those eyes widened, fear ricocheting through clear blue, tearing through the anger like a knife. He released her numbly, and she dropped the foot or so, hitting the ground knees first, harder than she expected. She struggled to her feet, only to receive a particularly forceful kick to the shoulder, the pain forcing her down again. Zelda had managed to reach her at some point, but he was walking away, producing something she hadn't seen in years – the crown of the king of Hyrule. It too gleamed, much like his sword, and she fancied those two gleams were noble, kingly, despite what they were being used for. The crown was tossed lightly into the air, and a sound neither princess nor guardian would have ever expected left his mouth – a clear, pure note, not so much sung as breathed, as if his soul's final light was being ejected, forced into crystalline form, invisible but for that sound. The metal shattered and stood suspended, and then fell, glittering pieces of starlight, and Impa knew.

"No! _No!_ " She rose with new energy, knowing in her heart that it was too late, and the sword hit her – the flat? She gasped, both shocked and in pain, driving back, the edges of the blade carefully held away from her stomach.

 _He won't kill me._ The crunching of gravel beneath his feet as he walked past was unbearably loud to her ears, as was the shifting of that same gravel as he crouched next to her, voice quiet but nevertheless heard.

"I won't tell him she was here if you get her out of here by sunrise. He still doesn't know where she is, and I haven't breathed a word to him about her little crossdressing escapade." His eyes were sad now.

"I want peace, Impa, but I'm losing everything I thought I loved for it." He rose stiffly and stalked away, barking a single order that sent the monsters scurrying, hurtling out of the village with their lone human leader behind them. The sun was rising, and he stood in that light as if he belonged there, despite this sojourn in shadow. She watched them leave, her wounds fading to the back of her mind as she rose, staggering towards the graveyard.

"Impa?"

"The ancient evil the first king and my people sealed has been revived and freed; I must do as my ancestors bid and seal it. Give our new hero these words and see to the villagers. The Shadow Temple is alive again."

* * *

The trip to Kakariko was blessedly short, even though Epona was carrying double; Nyche didn't weigh much normally and weighed even less in dragon form. They climbed the stairs slowly, Nyche walking so close as to almost step on his heels with every step. They opted to simply walk through the village, assuming that with the energy sucking atmosphere, they'd be overlooked, but upon actually arriving in the village, they found something far more disturbing.

Kakariko burned. The fires were sickly, a strange orange-pink colour indicative perhaps of something more malicious than a mere sacking. Near the center of the village, just a little further north, stood Sheik, in front of a well, the fires around him deemed irrelevant by whatever brewed there.

"Sheik!" The soul shadow turned, red eyes dark.

"Dark – stop!" They barely reached the stairs when it rose from the well – a darkness so familiar to him he almost choked with surprise. The wooden bar over the well was blasted from the ground and barely missed Sheik, but the impact was nevertheless there; he was thrown, and Nyche and Dark raced to him. Nyche stood over them as Dark knelt, touching the unconscious soul shadow's forehead.

"He's okay – Nyche, don't!" Her scream was so much like Link's, and it tore something in both Navi and Dark. The shadow fled the village proper, hurtling into the graveyard, leaving Dark with a brewing storm and two unconscious soul shadows.

* * *

They awoke soon after the storm hit; rain pounded the smoldering village, incessant.

"You're okay?" Sheik sat up slowly, eyes unfocused.

"I...What-"

"It escaped – a shadow demon, born of death and darkness itself, shadow incarnate. What happened here?" Dark gestured to the village, even as Nyche stirred, eyes fluttering open. Sheik's eyes darkened, and he sighed, rising and wrapping his arms around himself.

"Sheik?"

"It...was Ganondorf's men – and Link. He unsealed the well." His voice was breathy, weak.

"He – he's so angry. We may have made a mistake. We made him promise, but he wasn't ready, Rauru was wrong – he could never have been ready."

"And here I thought he was stronger than that." The two soul shadows stared at him, eyes wide. His jaw was tight, red eyes furious.

"The Hero of Time should be able to take all this and rise above it."

"Dark, he's only human-"

"He's Link! He's the goddamned chosen of Farore, he's the one with the Triforce of Courage! He's the one who's supposed to hold _us_ up, and he always has! Damn it, he shouldn't have been so fucking _weak_." They stared as he sank to the ground, head in his hands, voice trailing into broken ancient Hylian.

" _I'm so sorry, Link – I shouldn't have forgotten, I shouldn't have let him take you. I'm so sorry..."_ The rain pounded them, did nothing to wash away the centuries of hurt he'd forgotten, let fall into the darkness that he inhabited with every passing day Link wasn't there, inhabited until he found him again, freed him again. Sheik was singing under his breath; trying to calm him, and he knew those notes so well already.

* * *

Navi circled them, listening from above, the dark notes heavy with sorrow and foreboding. She'd known Dark was old, but it had never occurred to her that he'd had some history with Link before, that he'd never died because Link was necessary, because this conflict was eternal. The sun had risen, but the clouds obscured it; the rain was falling lighter but the sorrow was lingering, clinging. The song got louder; they weren't even singing, it was just there. Over and over, unending, like the darkness it spoke of.

_Darkness so deep it swallows light, love, pain, time – darkness so deep it holds on forever, even when we forget. So deep, so strong, never-ending, our love. I will never forget you, for the darkness holds us dear. There is no end to this love, this love in darkness, in power, in wisdom, in courage. This love, eternal – our love, eternal._

* * *


	8. Unending but Broken

Their song was one of darkness. Not, however, of darkness as many in their world thought of it, that which Ganondorf was spawned from – ridiculous, really. Ganondorf was flesh and blood, had been born in the light like them all, more so even, a child of Din's mighty Gerudo women, matriarchs of the cruel desert. He had been born in the sun's gaze, as many were. It was not darkness that made a man; it was the actions in that darkness.

Dark sat beside the well, knees drawn up to his chest, arms wrapped around them, blue and gold scabbard leaning against the stone to his left. The Master Sword's deep blue crossguard gleamed in the sunlight, nobility settling over it like a powerful mantle. The sword of heroes, evil's bane, but it seemed different than he remembered – older, slightly tarnished, its scabbard dusty and threadbare. It looked defeated, and that scared him, like those memories that refused to return to the shadows, stood in that harsh sunlight, mocked him.

"Dark?" He looked up into Nyche's worried eyes, knowing his own eyes must seem dull. He felt broken.

"Yeah..."

"Impa went to the Shadow Temple to seal the spirit, but we need something-"

"The eye of truth. I know, I remember." Those words hung between them, dragging up more stagnant memories, pulling them into the light of day. He sighed, rising, picking up the sword reluctantly and strapping it on, rolling his shoulders a little to get used to bearing two swords.

"Do you really need both of them?" He shook his head, reaching up to touch the shadowed mirror. It was what he was used to, and he was loathe to release it back into the Void, but...he sighed, and it dissipated, turned to smoke and blew away.

"So fragile, yet unbreakable." They both turned, eyes scanning the village. Few were out now, and none had spoken.

"Is it not what your hero should be? Smoke and shadow, encompassing light and courage. This is what your fallen hero once was." The silken, mocking tones sent chills down his spine as he turned again, eyes scanning the area. Nyche hissed something unflattering under her breath, fingers oddly stiff as she wavered between summoning the gauntlets she'd worn in the Water Temple and staying put, not doing anything at all. Breathy laughter from above brought their eyes up to the gate between them and the old Potions shop. The newcomer's fitted robe and pants seemed to warp the air around them, so dark as to seem as if they consumed the sunlight pouring into the village. The only colour to be seen was the blazing Triforce floating above his upturned left palm – left and top triangles golden, right silver.

"Good morning, shattered pieces of a hero lost."

"Poetic." Dark wondered if Nyche ever _didn't_ have a comeback. The man giggled – a sound so wholly feminine and mindless that it almost set Dark at ease while making him even more tense all at once. The Triforce spun slowly, moving clockwise while flipping equally slowly, the movements dizzying, sickening. The man rose to his feet, walking slowly up the gate, smiling genially.

"It's been a long time, Dark. Perhaps you have not forgotten me?" Crimson eyes glittered with puzzlement, and the nameless man sighed.

"Alas, it would seem time devoured those memories even as you sank back into shadow – yet you have begun to remember; I can see it in your eyes, that sorrow that even the shadowed exile could not remove." He leapt to the ground, landing lightly, feet barely even touching the ground before Dark's instincts kicked in, screaming bloody murder that this was not right, that this man, if that was what he truly was, was dangerous. He couldn't move, however, and he could see those few who rose with the sun had frozen as well – perhaps even stopped breathing. The Triforce was raised to their eyes, aura growing, blinding them, and a new image appeared in that light.

The town looked nothing like it did now, but he knew it was Kakariko. The Sheikah trained where the Cucco pen was now, and three windmills rotated stoically, of which only one now remained. The other two stood where the Potions shop and Shooting Gallery did now, so close in proximity, but seemingly unrelated to one another. There was a warm wind sweeping through, ruffling a young class's hair, the children's shrieks of laughter, so different from their dour teacher, floating with the wind to the dark forms outside the village. Sharp grey eyes narrowed on the entrance, armoured body shifting into a stance better suited to fighting unconsciously. The muffled thumping of marching feet was heard by several of the adults, and the once cheerful summer day turned baleful in an instant. Children were moved slowly towards what would soon become the graveyard, carefully escorted away as not to alarm them, but it was too late. Something howled, answered by screams, both pained and simply mindless – the screams of his army and their victims. He had not yet been warped by his search for the holy relic of the Sacred Realm; in fact, he didn't hold the Triforce at all yet, had not yet put into motion events that would forever seal three people's fates, intertwine them and unlock an eternal battle to be waged over many generations, through time itself.

Their first hero had been of the second caste – of little note and barely considered a Sheikah at all. The lowest caste, what would become the rest of Hyrule, still toiled as peasants in the fields, and the highest caste bore the mantle of power and all its responsibilities – including protecting the other castes. The battle was unexpected, and their training, all their intensive years of training, failed when they needed it most. He destroyed all before him, save for that boy, struggling to herd screaming, terrified children into the Temple, managing only to barely close the gates and return to the village before a stray spear butt knocked him unconscious. Yes, the glorious patriarch of that powerful line barely fought at all during that first battle – in fact, did not fight at all, was simply dragged out of the way by a quick thinking young woman of the lowest caste, a servant of the leader of the Sheikah. These two chosen stayed out of sight while the third ordered his men to destroy the gates to the Temple, while those few who could not fight, and the one of the highest caste he bound in chains to extract the Temple's final secrets from her, screamed and cried, wailed their pain to the goddesses, remote and deaf to their pleas. He remembered the girl's scream as they were dragged out of hiding, as he slowly came to, staying conscious long enough to see the enormous gates of ancient wood and beaten metal close, long enough to smell the smoke and the scent of burning flesh, to hear the screams of those youngest burning alive. A trio would survive, but he didn't know that; he was only feeling, sinking into despair as the world he'd known crumbled with the flames that devoured the Temple. A sharp spell and a screamed warning followed; the third chosen stepped out of the way, eyes contemptuous as the leader of the Sheikah fell to her knees, blood pouring from her mouth as her eyes fogged over, the spell taking her life to save the mighty, most ancient temple.

"Pathetic." Even if his voice had changed, he'd always hear this one – this voice, unbearably melodious, even calming, barely touched by the emotions he felt but never warm. As if that last sacrifice woke something in him, he rose, not heeding the startled girl's cry, stumbling forward and delivering a crippling blow to the monster's second in command – the only thing the others needed, a sign of hope, their _last_ hope. Light surged forward again, obscuring the image, but he saw him, standing on the cliff overlooking the village, eyes impassive, shadowed wings barely unfurled from his back. He nodded once and was gone, but that brief moment was imprinted on his mind, mere moments before he was torn from his whole, and became the shattered half of a hero.

* * *

They were jolted hard from the flashback – the man, the _Unem,_ was gone and Navi hovered over them anxiously.

"Dark! Nyche! What happened? I was scouting the Temple, it's-"

"Above the graveyard, where Impantra left it." Wings fluttered rapidly near his cheek as Navi circled, spiraling down to eye level.

"Who?" Nyche shivered, rubbing her hand over her mouth furiously as if to get rid of some taste – probably the lingering aftertaste of burning flesh, a side effect of smelling it so clearly. Dark swallowed hard.

"The last leader of the original Sheikah of the highest caste. She cast three spells; one to kill Ganondorf's original incarnation, one to save the Temple from burning, one to give her remaining energy to Link's original incarnation. The first failed, the second worked partially, the third worked perfectly." He shuddered.

"He – the man who showed us the battle – was an Unem; he probably goes by that name when he does have to interact with others. There is only ever one Unem in the world at any given time, and their appearance always heralds great change – for instance, when we saw him in that memory, it was a sign of the beginning of the endless war between Ganondorf, Link, and Zelda." His voice faltered some, and horror filled him at the idea of actually entering the Shadow Temple, abandoned for so long, filled with the souls of the forgotten, furious and hungry for vengeance against someone, _anyone_. Memories etched into stone, pain and horror, the last lingering moments of the dying children in that once sacred space, everlasting, never-ending, lingering...unforgotten by the shadows, even when those in the light had long since moved on.

If he went on much longer on that trend, he'd vomit.

"Dark?"

"We need to go to Hyrule Castle."

* * *

Ganondorf stretched, wincing a little as a scar he didn't remember receiving twinged. The blonde hadn't come back with the group he'd sent out to destroy Kakariko once and for all. He hissed under his breath at that thought. He had always hated Kakariko, and the Sheikah in particular, but he couldn't for the life of him remember why. There were times when he would project that hate onto Link – despite his abrupt transformation and growing power, Ganondorf was loathe to let him do whatever he pleased, because whether he liked it or not, the haze of strange attraction could not linger forever, and he had to face reality; Link was a danger to him. As if summoned by his thoughts, Epona and her rider hurtled into the encampment outside the Desert Colossus, sending up golden clouds to obscure the sun. A few guards moved forward to take her reins as he swung to the ground, unbuckling armour at a furious rate as he stalked across the sand, fury radiating off him in waves. Ganondorf knew from the instant Nabooru moved forward to stop the Hylian that he'd let him run wild for far too long; Nabooru barely snatched her hand back when Link whirled on her, and suddenly found herself staring at Ganondorf's back as he forced Link backwards, nearer the dried up oasis to the west of the camp.

* * *

Link yanked out of Ganondorf's grip, staggering a bit, standing at the edge of the water, soft waves lapping over his boots. The tall Gerudo glared at him, looking truly angry for the first time since they'd last clashed, right before Ganondorf had imprisoned him. He opted for flippancy with the absence of the dragon and the courage he'd been so used to. He stared into the other man's eyes, and even that weak bravado shattered. He sank slow into the sand, staring up at Ganondorf, wondering if his abject terror could be smelled, if the man could feel him breaking down from the inside out, facade cracking, old wounds he'd thought healed raw and bleeding, all pain so clear in his once cold eyes. He broke completely, let the tears stream down his face, the chaos in him becoming heart-wrenchingly calm in the knowledge that he was killing himself.

* * *

Ganondorf stared back at him, never expecting those sobs, the shaking, broken boy in the place of the cocky warrior who had slowly been wearing his patience away with every sly comment, every action with ulterior motives he couldn't begin to fathom. He slowly moved to kneel beside him, touching his shoulder awkwardly, uncomfortable. The Gerudo were not prone to emotional displays; he could count the amount of times he'd seen one occur on one hand, and they'd all occurred in direct response to something the old king had done. Icy fingers curled into the front of his shirt, jolting him out of his reverie, pulling him closer. He barely looked into tear-bright blue eyes before he was being pulled into a sloppy kiss, salty with tears, warm in the cool desert night. Every now and then he'd feel an odd vibration in his mouth – Link hiccuping. Fingers were digging into his biceps, and he was being pushed back into the sand as the smaller man climbed on top of him, breaking away for air before dropping his head against his chest, mumbling weakly – about being wrong, about being sorry, about being a fool – the list went on and on, and eventually he fell silent, tears drying stiff paths on his pale face, fingers curled into the fabric of the king's shirt, hair bleached from the sun fanned out against the dark cloth. Ganondorf waited for what felt like hours before sitting up slowly, adjusting the exhausted man sprawled across him gingerly.

"What happened?" He looked up at Nabooru, her large eyes shimmering with unnamed emotion as she watched Link sleep.

"He's fragile. Something is eating him alive inside, and I don't see how you're going to help him, Ganondorf." Ganondorf sighed.

"I know, Nabooru – you're right. I can't let him stay, but if I let him go..." Nabooru collapsed into the sand beside him, leaning back on her arms, staring up at the sky.

"You will do what you think is right for us. You know I disagree with your tactics, but I understand you're the chosen of Din – it's your way, isn't it?" She sighed, shaking her hair off her shoulder.

"Why do you think you need to liberate us, Ganondorf? This is our home. We wouldn't be who we are today if the desert had not shaped us."

"I refuse to heed some foreign kingdom that hordes its resources and gives no aid to those who need it. The last few storms crippled us – Scinian lost her baby, and Krean, Timori, and Lorana all died, Krean and Timori with their babies. We were losing more and more with every passing year – the Hylians encroached on our territory more and more, the Zoras began to divert the rivers further away from us...We were alone in this world, while they laughed and celebrated their damn treaties, refusing us any respect without us groveling first." Nabooru winced. He was right, and it was that pride that had been their only solace. When Ganondorf had announced his intent to go to Hyrule Castle and pledge his allegiance to the King, she'd been afraid the others would kill him. However, faith in their king reigned surprisingly strong, and now they were at peace – yes, with the suffering of the other races, but they were finally returning to their former glory. However, despite their new successes, she was certain they would fall hard – Ganondorf had made himself the enemy of all of Hyrule's peoples, and their vengeance, should they find another hero, would be swift. She watched him absently trail his fingers through the sleeping Hylian's hair, eyes strangely misty.

"My lord?"

"Do you ever dream of the past, Nabooru? Have you ever seen your past lives and realized people really don't change?" She stared at him, and noticed a small flash of light out of the corner of her eye; when she looked at his hand, there wasn't anything there, but there was some odd feeling in her mind that she hadn't imagined it.

"Mm...return him to his people and we will continue fortifying our position. They're cowed; leave them so, and let their fragile peace return."

* * *

Nyche glided over the moat of lava and shifted, landing lightly.

"Where am I going?"

"Just follow Link's signature – he came back here, I know he did; he probably entered the well in the past and brought the Lens to the future." The Lens of Truth was incredibly weak now, he was sure; once, the Sheikah had used it to allow people to see the truth of a matter in trials. That ability to force many to see what was true was gone now; now, it merely allowed them to see past the heavier shadows, the ones that expelled light and warped it, creating illusions that hung like drapes over everything in the Shadow Temple. He'd explored briefly, and found the door already open, much to his alarm. He sat against the broken arch and stared at the clouded skies.

"Navi?"

"Yes, Dark?"

"What was Link like as a kid?" He passed the time by listening to her stories – even though she hadn't been his partner, she _had_ been watching over him. They were in the midst of a particularly peculiar episode involving Link attempting to cook (the trauma had left him unable to eat tomatoes ever again...something about dreaming about them talking*) when Nyche returned.

"Nothing." Dark rose, eyes narrowed.

"Nothing at all?"

"His signature is there all right, but I think he took the Lens with him." Dark swore vehemently. Navi sighed in frustration.

"We have no choice," she stated with wavering calm, "we have to wait for him to enter the Shadow Temple and follow him. If we can get the Lens and defeat the spirit before he does whatever he's planning to do, we can save Impa and head for the last temple." She snapped her wings sharply twice.

"Let's stay at Lon Lon Ranch tonight – if we explain to Malon, I'm sure she won't mind."

Nor did she, and their stay was truly restful, as opposed to the few times they'd slept in temples, and they were fully prepared to play the waiting game when they arrived in Kakariko. However, they arrived in the graveyard to find Link seated crosslegged on the warp pad, staring at them through pale bangs.

"...Good morning. How is Malon?" Dark sat immediately, mirroring him, both leaning forward, chins resting on left hands.

"She's fine – worried about you." Link blew out a frustrated breath and scooted closer until they were barely a breath apart.

"I'm afraid...he's breaking apart – _I'm_ breaking apart. What did he do to us?" Dark felt him lace his fingers with his and sighed.

"He's an Unem, Link – I don't know what he's done to you, though. As for Ganondorf..." He faltered when he saw the flash of anguish twisted with some sort of love – and he _knew_ it was love, true love, like the love they'd shared so many times in the past. Ice began to creep into his heart, but he batted it away desperately.

"What did I do wrong?" That pained whisper dragged his eyes back to Link's, and he gazed at him, noting that uncertainty, something that had always been in him.

"Link, you didn't do anything wrong." Both men started and looked up at Navi and Nyche. The fairy seemed oddly passionate.

"You followed your heart – you were in pain, and you found solace in Ganondorf." Nyche shook her head.

"We aren't saying it was right, but it wasn't wrong either."

"I abandoned Hyrule."

"And burned Kakariko to the ground." Link snorted.

"It's still standing, Dark – don't be overly dramatic." Dark made a mock strangled gasp and fell backwards, clutching his chest.

" _I,_ overly dramatic? _I_ am not the one who threw a hissy fit and joined the Dark Side!" Link punched him lightly in the shoulder.

"It wasn't a hissy fit! And I didn't join Ganondorf because I was..." He stopped, blushed, and shook his head. Dark began to cackle.

"You were _frustrated_ , weren't you?"

"Drop it."

"Couldn't keep your head clear with all that ridiculously muscular Gerudo to ogle, could you?"

"Damn it, Dark." He began to laugh all the harder, actually rolling off the pad with his mirth, while Navi turned an odd shade of blue-pink – a fairy blush – and Nyche rolled her eyes at Link's embarrassment. He kicked Dark as gently as he could in the side, standing and stalking into the Shadow Temple with a particularly foul oath.

"Blasphemous, Link, blasphemous!"

* * *

Nyche twisted over a guillotine and and glided to the ground, watching the two halves argue and push each other as if enormous blades weren't falling from the ceiling, trying to slice them in half. They hadn't even looked up, each passing beneath each one, the blade swooshing to the ground just behind them.

"We're not having this discussion anymore!"

"I'm just saying, she _has_ the ability to protect herself – so why is she always letting Ganondorf kidnap her and destroy her country? Does she have a kink or something? Are you two swooning over our favorite psycho when I'm not looking?" Pause. "You are, aren't you!"

"Dark! Shut up!" She shook her head, performing lazy acrobatics while waiting for them to reach the final platform. The path between them seemed more hazardous than it really was; a flaming bubble, several guillotines, and a few short breaks that a few rolling jumps could cure in a heartbeat was all that waited, but she sensed something building in the ground beneath her.

"It's not your fault you were wired wrong."

"I'm _wired_ wrong?"

"...Actually, Ganondorf is kind of hot, in a creepy, brooding sort of way – well, hello." They both stopped and noted the Stalfos cackling darkly across from them.

"Shall I, or would you like to do the honors?" Link looked up at the dragon above them.

"Perhaps Nyche would like to deal with it?" She snorted, a small blast of a white fire leaving her nostrils.

"Can't you just order it to go away?"

"Well, yes. But where's the fun in that?" She conceded to that point, shifting and landing with a light thump, flexing her gauntleted fingers even as Link and Dark unsheathed their respective weapons. The Stalfos, lacking a brain and a self preservation instinct, lunged at Dark first. Dark jumped straight up, kicking down into the back of its neck and twisting in midair to slice down its spine. Link moved into its stumble and elbowed it in the jaw, slicing off its shield arm and stabbing it through the ribs. He and Nyche switched places, Nyche delivering crippling blows to its legs while Link and Dark began to separate its spine into each separate vertebrae. Eventually it fell apart – probably due to having its spine demolished and its head crushed by Nyche's punch to the face – and they all stood in a row, admiring their handiwork. Nyche moved to the edge of the platform, pausing, a frown making its way onto her face.

"Ah...this could prove to be a problem."

"We're the Chosen Ones! Nothing's a problem for us!" Nyche cringed a little at the words, crowed in unison by her 'brothers'. Link, better accustomed to Navi's wrath still than Dark, ducked her blow, but Dark still ended up with a "slap" to the back of his head. He rubbed the offending area, grinning impudently up at the muttering fairy.

"What's the perceived problem? Oh. Well. That _could_ be a problem." They all looked across the chasm, noting the large platform falling and rising on chains, close to their side but far from the side they needed to reach.

"Link – the Hover Boots-"

"Only hold one person." Dark looked at Nyche.

"Could you carry them back to me in dragon form?" She looped her body around his wrist, settling and looking at the boots Link had produced.

"I suppose I could. They probably don't weigh much." She uncurled from Dark's wrist and closed her front paws around the edge of both boots, fluttering.

"Yes, I could very well do that." Link grinned.

"Then I'll see you on the other side?"

"Go on ahead – there's a few things I want to clear up in here." Link shrugged and rolled onto the rising platform, skidding a little and only barely staying on the stone, ending just at the edge. He proceeded to the other side, Navi floating mere inches from him, and Nyche glided across the abyss to procure the boots and bring them back to Dark. He slipped them on, eyes never leaving the back of the hero retreating into the next room.

"Does this seem odd to you too?" Nyche transformed, sitting beside Dark.

"Why is he with us? Surely there's a reason for this – what the hell happened?"

* * *

Navi wondered the same, and broached the subject with only a little hesitance as her old partner pushed the enormous block beneath the slabs of spikes, suspended from chains and falling in a constant rhythm, and doing no damage to the dull hunk of rock he placed beneath them, stopping their journey to impale him against the floor completely.

"Ah...I'm – remembering. Things, you know – from before the wars." Navi chimed in confusion and he sighed.

"Ganondorf wasn't always – what he is now. Hell, he isn't even that anymore – or at least, he wasn't for a little while. He's been completely warped! I _know_ there was another person there once – someone even Zelda would admit was a good king and a good man. He was like that with me for a little while, but now the darkness has come back, and whatever that... _thing_ did hasn't helped!" He stopped and shivered, eyes dropping to his left hand.

"...Navi, do you think you'd know if I didn't have the Triforce piece in me anymore?" She jerked in midair.

"O-Of course! But Link, you _have_ it – I don't think you could lose it!"

"But could someone take it?" She gaped at him as he pulled his gauntlet off and held his hand up. The uneven blotch of scar tissue fell across calluses, a pinky blanket over grime induced tan.

"The Master Sword managed that when I brought it to Kakariko." He closed his eyes, swallowing.

"Sometimes I can't even remember what I did the hour before – I _know_ I unsealed the well, and I _know_ I burned Kakariko and fought Impa and Zelda-"

"What! Sheik only said you were _there_." He laughed.

"Of course he did – his pride probably won't let him accept I easily trounced both of them." He sobered, pulling the gauntlet back on.

"Navi, really _look_. Are you _sure_ the Triforce is still there?" She stopped as he went around the block, ignoring the spikes slamming down into the block over and over, and eventually climbed on top of the cells, surveying the rest of the room. She stared at him, humming absently as she searched his aura, even went so far as to fuse partially with the fairy realm to see into his essence. There was something – a little gleam of gold, but it wasn't the full Triforce piece. A sickening sensation twisted through her as she pulled herself back to their reality in time to watch Link leap across the spikes to the chest on the other side.

"I-I'm sorry, Link."

"Whatever, Nav. It's not your fault. Maybe I'll get it back – maybe I won't."

"You'd miss this if you didn't." He dropped off the edge and headed back to the door.

"Probably."

* * *

Nyche started a little when Navi settled behind her ear, where she'd tucked a fraying braid.

"Navi?"

"There's something he's not telling me...we got a key, by the way." This she said a little louder so that Dark, who appeared to be leaping on thin air to their platform, would hear her. He jumped the final distance and draped himself across Link's shoulders, a peace enveloping him that Navi noted had been missing previously. The blonde touched his nose to Dark's, smiling a little.

"Where do those go?"

"Another locked door for your key. Follow me – no need for the Lens." Link proceeded to inch his way to the edge while Nyche shifted and twisted around Dark's arm again, looking over his shoulder.

"Nyche, you're almost four feet long – too long to be wrapping yourself around me." She yawned, and he snorted.

"Uncooperative."

"We _are_ part of him."

* * *

Navi's scream mingled with the moans of the Redeads, and Link dragged Dark against his chest, managing to half whisper, half scream into his ear to close his eyes and not move an inch from his body, something Dark was admittedly perfectly fine with – perhaps it was narcissism to lust after the man you mirrored, but Dark had never said he _wasn't_ a narcissist. He saw the tiny diamond, a small orb of red nestled at its center, and heard Link's quiet prayer, though he only could make out Din's name and a plea for power, before flames unfurled from his hand as he slammed it, diamond and all, palm first into the ground. The flames washed out over the room, radiating as a dome from Link, and devoured the spiked wooden walls, hitting both Redeads – not enough to kill them, but enough to let Link break away and tear their bodies to pieces. He stood over the final body, staring at it with an expression Dark knew mirrored what he usually felt around them. Somehow, in the Shadow Temple, Redeads were a thousand times worse than usual. Nyche was retching in a corner, much to his surprise and immediate concern, but Navi waved him off when he attempted to approach. With another concerned glance over his shoulder, he joined Link, who flipped open the hideous gold and blue chest.

"I'm sure they could have made these less tacky."

"The more ostentatious, the easier they are to find."

"...But they're _tacky_." Link looked over his shoulder at him, pulling out the horned gold key with its never dusty ruby and stashing it. Dark met his eyes sheepishly, wondering if his own eyes were glazing over with lust. Even covered in grave dirt, soot, and other questionable materials, Link felt so much more substantial than other people – so in the moment, so damn _perfect_ in his imperfections that Dark felt ever so slightly inadequate – but his ancient pride reared its head and beat that feeling to a bloody pulp, dumping the body with serenity and planning, somewhere behind the hut on Lake Hylia's banks. He started when Link's hand waved before his eyes.

"Ancient spirit to fight, remember?" He grinned sheepishly and nodded, following him and Nyche, shaking a little still, out into the Floor Master infested halls of the maze and out into the area where the macabre ferry had sunk. Link stopped, sharp eyes scanning the area almost lazily, before he pulled out his bow and fired a single arrow, seeming not to aim at all, but Dark realized, as the arrow fired, that he was aiming for a bird statue nestled in a patch of Bomb Flowers. The tremendous explosion resulted in the bird performing a flawless nosedive into the bank they stood on, forming a bridge Link calmly strode across, pausing to pat the bird's head with a smile.

"Much obliged, good fellow." Navi snorted, Nyche laughed weakly, and Dark wondered why shadows seemed to bring out the polar opposites, best and worst, in people.

They chose to take a nap – none of them knew if it was night or day outside – and settled in despite the creepy surroundings. Nyche and Dark curled up on either side of Link, much to the hero's surprise and waning chagrin. Navi curled up in Dark's discarded hat – Link's hadn't left his head in all the time she'd known him, with the sole exception being during bathing. The four eased into sleep warily, three for fear of the outside – one from fear of that dreaming realm itself.

* * *

_The foggy realm was what he would have expected of a dream, but it was soon dissipated by flashes of lightning, and soon he was standing in the center of bright light – light all around, a few clouds here and there, and the constant lightning. Link was standing in the center of that light as well, soon joined y Nyche and even Navi._

" _You couldn't resist joining us here too?" Nyche's voice was a little harsh, as if she'd been screaming – perhaps due to the earlier vomiting, but this was the world of dreams, was it not? Why would that linger here? He started when they appeared, one gliding through the clouds, the second striding after her, the clouds seeming to flee from her approach, and the third seemed to be one with the clouds, not moving through or with them, simply being there immediately, yet coming behind the other two. Each made of gold, yet they were possessed of separate and distinct features. The first's features seemed older than the other two, and serene. Her hair, just as golden as her skin, flowed like a waterfall down her back, stopping at the base of her spine. It appeared that she was wearing ancient Hylian courtwear – complex and regal, she seemed completely unfazed by the lightning and newly arrived thunder, swaying a little with the wind to some unheard song, blue eyes half-lidded._

_The second woman's features were sharper but not much younger than the first's – her hair was short and spiky, falling like lightning across her ruby eyes, forming a short, stiff crest that twisted into one oddly graceful curl that twined around the side of her neck. Her clothing of choice was similar to the Gerudos', but with more armour – a more feminine version of Ganondorf's usual look. Even though she wasn't moving, it was as if someone had captured thunder and held it in stasis, forcing it into physical form; that was she._

_The third and final woman appeared to be much younger than the other two; she was dressed similarly to how Malon dressed. Her hair was in a single braid down her back, bangs resting docilely over leaf green eyes that sparkled with mischief and kindness. She skipped past her sisters, stopping in front of them to take Link's hand. Her eyes suddenly widened and she dropped his hands as if they were hot embers, bringing her gold hands to her mouth, pupil-less green eyes filled with horror._

I am sorry, mother, but he needed to live a life without your curse on his shoulders.~ _The three women turned in unison to the final newcomer, blank eyes filling with recognition and tears, in the case of the third green eyed woman._

_~What did you have to gain by stealing her heart blessed child from her? We are not to blame for his life.~ He glided forward, meeting the blue eyed woman's eyes squarely with his own void orbs._

You are wrong to think you are not to blame.~ _He was as tall as the three women, but seemed, at the same time, to continuously shrink and grow. Those eyes were black, solid black – every now and then, a silver 'shadow' would slip through them, like silhouetted children running behind curtains of night. His silver skin mirrored their gold; however, unlike them, he was simply shrouded by constantly shifting shadows – his body could not be seen, and those shadows acted as the only clothing the four mortals could see. He turned, and the shadows finally solidified, falling onto his shoulders and across his body, become close cut robes. He touched Nyche's chin and forced her to look into his eyes._

I gave you every chance to remove the danger – every chance to give them their longed for and well deserved peace.~ _Nyche pulled away, eyes narrowed. She and Dark flanked Link, both unconsciously reaching for his hands and receiving them, clammy and for once without gauntlets._

" _We are not divinities, as you presumably are – do not further our discomfort if you would only have us here to witness your bickering." Unumbra – for who else would a shadowed man among the gods be? - chuckled, the sound lifeless, mirthless, so cold and empty that it seemed to devour what light surrounded him. He turned completely to face the others._

Din, Nayru, Farore – mothers of your world and mine, golden and bright, tell them the truth. Tell them what you have done.~ _Farore sobbed, dropping her head into her hands even as Nayru turned to comfort her and Din stepped forward, eyes blazing. Before Dark could step in front of Link, he pulled away from them and stalked forward, staring the goddess in the eyes. Unumbra's dead laugh rang again, and even the lightning and thunder ceased, for terror or pain, it could not be known._

Heart child of my mother, Farore's blessed, you are truly courageous – but you have found the core of the goddesses, their truest power – will you use it?~ _Din's eyes never left Link's, and slowly, all three blazing, empty sets of eyes turned to him, red, blue, and green, full of light and emotions Link couldn't name._

 _~We returned what of the Triforce we could to you and Din's chosen. Power is not something easily given, nor is it something easily_ accepted. _His mind will not survive the return, and what love you finally brought to him will be lost.~ Farore's voice was weak._

_~I'm sorry, Link – I am not a goddess possessed of great power. Love and strength, wisdom and power, rest in my sisters – I am nothing more than secrets and courage. It pains me to do this to you. Forgive me...~ Nyche's gasp mingled with Navi's, but Dark's eyes never left Link. His expression was one of deep anguish, and those remote gazes of Nayru and Din showed nothing but resignation. Unumbra's cool voice whispered through the air, beneath the thunder, coiling around their hearts like chains of ice and silver._

There is another, Chosen Hero – one whose love for you never wanes. You have not yet lost this fight, boy. Return.~

* * *

Link sat up with a strangled gasp, panting as cold air from the strangely clean water washed over his sweat soaked skin. Shaking, he untangled himself from the slowly awakening pair and stumbled to the river bank, dropping to his knees and ducking himself in the water, coming up with a gasp at the screams that had echoed in his ears.

 _That explains why it's so clean...no one to dump anything in here anyway, but no one's brave enough to deal with_ them _..._ He sat back on the balls of his feet, staring across the river, breathing hard.

"Link...did you-"

"I can't save him." The reality came hurtling out of his mouth, crashing down on him and sinking like dead weight in his heart, shattering the flimsy dam on his tears.

" _I can't save him!_ " The anguished cry echoed even as his sobs did, and they stood aside, helpless against the onslaught of pain. Neither of them knew what to do – even Navi, who had finally come completely awake, was at a loss for what to do, and all Link could do was sob until there was nothing left to cry about anymore.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *I don't own THIS either, but if you know what it's from, kudos and great winnage to thee.
> 
> Oh my gods my brain hurts.


	9. Unwinding to Unlock Cells

They moved into the hall and let Link unlock the door in silence, repeating their earlier process to cross the abyss to the final door. The horned lock seemed to gleam more malevolently than usual.

"Or maybe you're just being melodramatic." Dark shrugged, miffed by Link's behaviour. Yes, he'd just been torn apart from the inside – but he'd bounced back almost immediately, so what was his problem _now_?

"Melodrama is better than monotony and gray humour." Link smiled bitterly.

"Perhaps so." Nyche watched the two of them argue quietly and sighed.

"Are we going in or not?" Link paused mid-sentence and fished out the large key, eyeing it.

"Do we have any idea what's in there?"

"Nope!" came Dark's over enthusiastic reply.

"Dangerous?"

"Probably," Nyche intoned dryly. "When is it not?" Navi inquired. Link smiled a little more with that, the bitterness morphing into something else.

"Will we come out intact?" Dark snatched the key from him.

"Link, stop stalling. We're going in, and that's final!"

* * *

The drop down the hole was expected by Link and Navi and heart stopping for Nyche and Dark. The fight itself was rather discombobulating, with the lack of multiple Lenses of Truth and an enormous, undead foe with a killer beat*. Link swore as a particularly hard pound left him unarmed, staggering into Dark.

"Shit – what the hell am I supposed to do now!" Dark unsheathed the Master Sword, pressing it into his hand, taking the Lens of Truth and producing his own bow.

"You and Nyche stay on the edges – I'll shoot, you two deal with the eye." Link took the opportunity – being pressed against his shadow chest to chest – to hug him awkwardly before staggering his way to Nyche to relay the plan.

It went through without a hitch – Dark's aim wasn't quite as impeccable as Link's, but what had been a long and arduous fight wound down quickly with the onslaught of arrows and discus blows coupled with Link's brutal sword strikes. It finally fell, rapid drumbeats slowing as it shuddered and was devoured by the blue flames Link was slightly surprised he'd forgotten about. He yelped when Dark slammed into his back, forcing him down when the shadow spirit suddenly rose again, hurtling towards them with an ear rending shriek. Dark was helpless to actually do anything against it, but he nevertheless fought to shield Link with his body.

* * *

Nyche and Navi screamed in unison as the shadows engulfed the two men, and for a moment Nyche felt a sickening yank in her stomach – the sensation of her light host dying.

"Link! Dark! _Link!_ " She gasped as the shadow rose away, dissipating into the air, only to be completely obliterated by a pillar of blue light that shot away from the two men and spread throughout the dark room with the sound of a thousand bells ringing, before disappearing completely, leaving her temporarily blind**. Navi shot over to the two men, apparently unaffected by the light.

"Link? Dark?" A groan.

"How are you so _light_? Do you ever eat?" Dark sat up, pulling Link with him, ignoring the rude comment mumbled into his chest by the slender blonde.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah – go grab that and eat it." Link followed Dark's gaze to the Heart Container.

"Why would I eat that?" Navi bobbed enthusiastically.

"Dark found out they're edible – like candy, he says." She circled it slowly.

"You never ate candy much as a kid – why not now?" Link looked slightly uncertain as he rose and strode over to it, picking it up.

"...Is candy really all that great?" Dark rolled his eyes.

"Just eat it. Jeez, I know you've been asleep for seven years, but you still retain the contrary teenage behaviour." Link wrinkled his nose at that and followed them into the portal that had finally manifested, still holding the Container as he leaned heavily on Dark. They all landed lightly in the Chamber, and Link had barely pocketed the Container when Saria and Ruto both attempted to hug/maul him, Impa throwing up a solid wall of shadow between them.

"Girls, he's tired and I imagine he would like to get this meeting over quickly. You may visit him at the ranch _after_ this." Saria's sheepish laugh was an interesting contrast to Ruto's indignant huff – whether at being stopped from seeing Link immediately or at the idea of going to Lon Lon Ranch of all places, he wasn't sure. Impa sighed.

"Link-"

"Can I apologize?" He met her eyes unwaveringly, though it was clear to her he expected her to turn away at the very least. _And that is why you are the true chosen of Farore, Link._

"You need not apologize; while your reasons for destroying Bongo Bongo and setting the spirit to rest were your own and perhaps not ones I would agree with, they were selfless, and in the end, you did help me." She smiled slowly.

"It is a great honour to be of assistance to Hyrule and to you, Hero of Time. Take this Medallion and add my power to yours!" The indigo form spiraled into his waiting hands, and he felt a strange peace in him when the cool metal finally landed. Something was awakening in his mind, something that had lain dormant even through this last trial, and now it felt it was time to aid him at last – whatever it was.

"Zelda is safe, Link – you need only continue your journey and save Hyrule." Her jaw tightened.

"Whatever Ganondorf was to you, he is no longer that man. What chance the goddesses gave you to save him is past – now you must put Hyrule before him, and again before yourself. It is your only hope for peace." Her eyes were sad.

"It is we who should beg your forgiveness, Hero – no man should bear this burden." Light again gathered and they were flung into the 'real' world, devoured by shadow but still standing strong – yet weakening, ever so slowly. Link again pulled the Heart Container out as he followed Dark and Nyche from the town, ignoring the Redeads as they headed for Lon Lon Ranch.

"You're absolutely sure it's edible?"

" _Yes_ – and about things we're absolutely sure about, what the hell is up with Impa's hand***?" Link stared at his shadow quizzically.

"I'm sorry?"

"Her _hand_. It's always twitching – does she have some sort of nerve damage? Got into one fight too many?" He gasped.

"Maybe it's hypnosis! Maybe this is all some huge conspiracy! Goddesses, what if she's trying to _eat our souls!_ " Nyche stopped and stuck her foot out, watching Dark trip and fall headlong into the moat impassively.

"For once, Dark – just shut up."

* * *

Malon didn't question why Link had suddenly appeared, why Link's shadow was soaking wet, or where the willowy Zora woman and the fairy girl had come from. Malon was of the philosophy that if it could be solved with milk, hot soup, and a warm bath, she needn't worry.

Dark found himself in a rib-cracking hug from Ruto of all people, while Saria hung several feet from Link's neck, sobbing into his shoulder. Ruto eventually let go, leaning against him, smiling fondly at Saria.

"She was overjoyed when she learned you and Link had joined forces – of course, we could not track your progress in the Shadow Temple; the Light Medallion is only so powerful, and without Impa's permission, no light can penetrate that darkness." She twirled a bit of his wet hair around one finger.

"You all should probably bathe, eat, and rest – the final temple is the farthest yet, and you will have to pass through the desert to reach it." She chuckled as he pulled away to shake more water off himself.

"Malon will eat you alive if you keep dripping on her floors – go upstairs. I'll see you in a minute." He met Link's eyes and read the request for solitude easily. Nyche and Navi similarly noted the look and made themselves scarce; Saria left soon after them, leaving Ruto and Link to talk.

* * *

Dark bit back a gasp and then a moan as he eased into the hot water, all the while wondering how Malon had an enormous tub upstairs and could fill it with hot water easily. Link had wistfully mentioned Lon Lon Ranch and their tiny home, but that much at least had changed.

"Mind if I join you?" Dark cracked an eyelid to see Link easing into the steamy room, pushing the door closed behind him. He leaned back, ignoring his harsh breathing and elevated heart rate.

"Not in the least – just don't steal my heat." He barely swallowed a yelp when Link trailed icy fingers over his shoulder.

"Sorry." He slid in slowly, wincing a bit, oblivious to Dark's growing horror as he noted the many scars littering his body. He finally moved forward, ignoring Link's startled yelp as he knelt between his legs, forcing him to sit still while he ran his hands down his chest, noting the scars, new and old bruises, and something he'd completely overlooked when he'd gotten in.

"A tattoo?" Link leaned back, acutely aware of his shadow's proximity and his own clashing emotions.

"Ah – yeah. I added a piece for each race – ah!" Dark looked up in surprise when Link gasped and giggled, pushing his hands away from the tattoo adorning most of his left arm. Dark pushed his arm up away, staring at the elaborate image. The first part, resting on his shoulder and spilling onto his collarbone, depicted what he assumed was the original Great Deku Tree, overshadowed by an armoured one-eyed arachnid and three smaller versions of it. This melted into flames and an enormous, open mouthed lizard – a Dodongo, with a bomb flying into its mouth. Further down, curving onto his back, was a large whale he'd always recognise – Lord Jabu Jabu, a guardian spirit created by Nayru some years earlier for the Zoras. Like with the Great Deku Tree, he was in the shadow of a sparkling jellyfish – thing. In the rough center of these pictures, holding them together, were the three Spiritual Stones, one of Forest, one of Fire, one of Water. They passed them every time they were in the Temple of Time.

Now the tattoo changed from depicting what Dark assumed were events from seven years ago to something less linear – a sort of celebration of the races of Hyrule – the Hylians, Zoras, Gorons, Kokiri, the Sheikah and the Gerudo. Each picture blended into the next, and with each one there was a symbol – the symbols he'd seen in the Chamber of Sages, one on each platform.

"Link..."

"It's one of the things I remember – there's one for each race. Light for the Hylians, Forest for the Kokiri, Fire for the Gorons, Water for the Zoras, Shadow for the Sheikah, and Spirit for the Gerudo." He rested his forehead against Dark's.

"You don't hate me, do you?" Dark blinked slowly, perplexed at the pained question.

"Link – why would I hate you?" He felt his eyes widen when the other man surged forward, his gasp swallowed by the blonde, lips mashed together in a desperate, sloppy kiss. He tasted salt and connected them with the tears streaming down Link's face – why were his eyes still open? He let them slide closed and leaned into the kiss, deepening it as he steadied the blonde, reaching up to curl his fingers into thick, silky hair. Link slowly pulled his knees up, pulling him closer, shifting onto his knees to press closer to the warmer shadow. He savored the sensation of gentle fingers massaging his scalp almost absently as the kiss turned lazy, less of a reaffirmation and more of a greeting to a new acquaintance. Dark swept his tongue across Link's lips, parting the seal on their mouths for a mere second to let him gasp for breath before capturing his mouth again, swallowing his moan and pressing him against the worn wood wall. He finally pulled away when air became necessary even for him and rested his head on Link's shoulder, feeling the blonde shift and mirror the motion, slipping their arms around each other, breathing slowing to a less frantic pace. Dark could still feel the tears running down his back.

* * *

Dark was soon kidnapped by the Sages while Link, Nyche, and Malon ate – he could smell the food and was staring longingly into the kitchen when icy fingers curled around his wrist. _Why the hell are they so cold?_ He stared into Saria's blue eyes. Her expression was strangely somber.

"I would ask your forgiveness, Dark. I made the mistake of assuming that because you are Link's shadow, you are somehow evil. I was wrong." Dark slowly pulled away from the eternal child, nodding slowly. These Sages were the humblest he'd seen – though he knew somewhere in the future, that would fall again to idiocy and arrogance, and some disaster would befall Hyrule because of it****.

"I forgive you, but I'm not really surprised – you were raised as many were, to see the shadows as the source of evil. It is nothing I haven't heard before." Ruto sat, one leg crossed over the other.

"Link is healing, slowly; Princess Zelda would have been his confidant, but she is not here, and that duty fell to my shoulders. Besides protecting our temples, each Sage has a duty to the Hero of Time, though these are more instinctual than anything else. Rauru and Impa, as shadow and light, act as his advisors when dealing with the rest of the world; they are the wisdom that leads him on his quest. Saria and Darunia, forest and fire, are the core of his childhood, closest friends and the ones who offer loyalty and confidence – the ones who give him all the more reason to fight on. Myself and the Sage of Spirit – who I can sense, but cannot see – hold the matters of his soul and heart in our hands. The mental, the physical, and the spiritual – we are each separated into groups to further assist the Hero on his journey. I could sense his turmoil, but now I see the true extent of the wounds to his heart." She stood up and rested her hands on his shoulders, violet eyes seeming much larger than usual – deeper. _Truly one of Nayru's if I've ever seen one._

"Dark, I know better than anyone but Impa that you have a past with him – _help_ him. Even if this quest means nothing to you, it means something to him, and he _will_ fail if he is allowed to go on as he has. I gave him the words he needed, but the actions must come from you. My own love for him can only go so far." She pulled away, hands coming to the base of her throat, almost clasped as if in prayer.

"Saria and I must leave. Take what I have told you and think of what happened in the Shadow Temple – Bongo Bongo spoke to you for a reason." The two Sages bowed and left him to stare after them in bemusement.

_How did they know he spoke to us?_

* * *

The roof was warm from the sun, and Dark was rather glad for his inhuman abilities – climbing up flat surfaces being one of them. It didn't always work, so he couldn't rely on it in temples – though it occurred to him he probably _could_ have in the Shadow Temple – but here in Lon Lon Ranch, there was little danger if he fell. He stared at the sky, listening to the horses below and the sound of Malon and Nyche cheering Link on as he ran through yet another obstacle course with Epona the two women had set up. A particularly loud crow was making its feelings about the world known just above his head, but he was deep enough in thought that it didn't bother him all that much.

Bongo Bongo had seemingly attacked them right after they destroyed its mortal body, and in that cloak of darkness, words had echoed in his mind.

" _There is a place within the village, where the Medallions gathered together will return your memories to you. Only then will the Hero be whole again. Time is fleeting, and moves all the faster against your best efforts – defeat the power hungry one before he destroys Farore's chosen for good."_ Those words seemed odd, and the voice hadn't bothered to elaborate.

"Dark?" He sat up with a start, noting the shadows of dusk rising across the horizon, and scrambled to the edge of the roof, dropping down, almost landing on top of his light counterpart. Link stepped back in the nick of time, watching his shadow land with a thump, kicking up a small cloud of dust as he straightened, fussing with his tunic.

"Come riding with me?" Dark paused with his examination of his overall appearance (he deemed it merely okay, but given that night was falling, okay was acceptable.) and met Link's eyes.

"Where?" he asked, curiosity colouring his tone without a hit of wariness.

"Just...out to the canyon." Dark lifted an eyebrow at that.

"Link..."

"He's already back in Hyrule Castle – the most likely thing to happen is the Gerudo will attack me. It's nothing I can't handle." Except he wasn't sure anymore. The shadow spirit of Kakariko had hissed doubts into his mind, like vaporous venom, and it gnawed at him. He'd been in a state of fury, bound to the dragon sword – which he'd given to Dark, saying its bloodier hungers combined with its ancient nobility suited him – and that had driven him into an unstoppable frenzy. Confusion swathed him, and a ride would be nice – and being able to talk to someone who wasn't Navi or the dragon of his heart, even better. The shadow shrugged, padding over to where Epona waited.

"Race you."

* * *

The pounding of hooves woke the carpenter boss, and the suddenness of it being right outside the tent kept him awake. He untangled himself and stuck his head out, noting the two riders – almost identical, save for some discrepancies in colouring – and felt relief course through him. Din had answered his prayers, it seemed.

"Ho, riders!" Both men twisted in the saddle before whirling their mounts to face him. He grinned.

"I see you've breached the gap – headin' for the desert, huh?" The blonde nodded, eyes flitting nervously towards the pass leading to the fortress.

"Don't you worry none about them there Gerudos – they've got themselves some new ,entertainment, they have." He scowled, thinking of his idiot workers. They might have the bodies of men, but they had the minds of boys, and bigger fools you'd never see.

"See here – I'm a carpenter, a master of my trade. I came here to fix this bridge, but my gang done ran off – said they were sick of working and were joining the gang of thieves who live down yonder!" He snorted derisively.

"Fools, the lot of 'em. The Gerudos are an all female gang – ain't gonna let no man join their gang. I'm afeared somethin' happened to 'em. You two seem like warriors, tried and true." He nodded to their swords.

"I hate to bring a burden to two fine young men, but could you maybe help me out – just to see if they're okay. I ain't gonna ask you to do nothin' more than that." He watched the two men exchange a glance – questioning from the blonde, determined from the brunette – and felt his heart sink, when the blonde nodded.

"Of course we'll see if your workers are okay. We can probably even extract them. Don't worry about it."

* * *

Link hit the ground harder than he expected, and immediately lost the ability to breath properly when his substantially heavier shadow landed knees first on his stomach.

"Link!" He scrambled off him, apologizing effusively while his light counterpart hacked and wheezed on his knees next to him. He vaguely noticed a Gerudo yelling at them to shut up from above, but he was too busy making sure Link was okay. The blonde waved him away, collapsing against the wall, still coughing a bit.

"Well. So much for not worrying." Link yawned, patting his sides (presumably looking for something in the inner pockets of his tunic).

"Don't worry – honestly, Dark, we've both dealt with worse. This is nothing." He finally yanked his tunic off, muttering about the heat while Dark struggled not to salivate so obviously at him. Link, oblivious to his shadow's attentions, let out a muffled squeak when he produced the icy Heart Container, examining it, then hesitantly flicking his tongue against the edge, still oblivious to Dark and the small strangled whine that left his mouth. His eyes widened a bit at the taste, and he descended into his own little world, blindly playing into Dark's steadily developing fantasy as he nibbled on the edge, occasionally flicking his tongue out to catch a sparkling piece of candy crystal, eyes fluttering closed as he savored the delicate sweetness.

Dark almost choked the first time the tip of Link's pink tongue darted out to catch a crystalline bit, leaving it in sight long enough for Dark to see the small piece melt away, before it slowly retreated back into Link's mouth. Dark felt the ground beneath him shift and realized the ground wasn't completely stable, and his fingers digging into it made it even less so. He slowly pried his hands away from the ground, freeing it from his white knuckled grip while he watched the ever so sensual, completely innocent display before him. Link had divested himself of both his tunic and hat, and had slid down the wall, lounging luxuriantly as if they weren't in a Gerudo prison, waiting for the thieves to decide their fate. Sweat turned his hair dark and plastered it to his forehead, forcing him to constantly shove it out of his eyes, the motion occurring so often that it became unconscious. Shuddering as lust wracked his body, he crawled over to him, lying so that he faced him. Link didn't seem to notice, sucking the tip of the heart with an expression of bliss.

"Mm..." Dark gave in to that niggling voice that demanded he find out if Link tasted like the candied life essence, and leaned forward, nipping his lower lip gently. Blue eyes fluttered open, and Dark was torn between shock and delight at the lust tinged mischievousness glowing there.

Link sat up, leaning towards Dark, feeling an odd sense of playfulness rise in him as he rested the melting Heart Container on his tunic and pressed his lips to his shadow's, locking his arms around his waist as the sadness that had been festering in his heart with the old but new surroundings retreated, replaced by a sense of content that was overall lacking in his life. Dark moaned a little, delighting in the fact that Link did, in fact, taste like the Heart Container, before a sharp thought snapped out in his mind, bringing a wave of guilt with it.

 _He just learned he will probably have to kill the man he's come to love – what are you_ doing _?_ He gasped, pulling back abruptly, shame dusting his cheeks with a warm blush. Link leaned back, confused.

"What's wrong?" Dark shook his head negatively.

"Nothing – nothing. We – we should get out of here, alright?" Link shrugged, perturbed as he finished the Heart Container, savoring the spicy sweet center even as he pondered Dark's mood swing.

Dark, on the far side of the cell, was pondering an overhanging piece of wood he could see from below. He knew the Longshot they'd acquired in the Water Temple would be able to reach it, and Link's Hookshot probably could as well.

"Hey, Link – c'mere." The blonde padded over, looking up with him.

"...Hookshot?" Dark nodded.

"Let me try first; if they catch me, I can at least run and drag them out while you go in for the carpenters." Link nodded an affirmative, stepping back while Dark produced the Longshot and aimed for the wood, praying the window had a ledge of some sort, in case he _had_ to distract them. Relief trickled through his mind when he landed on a fairly wide ledge. He turned back, beckoning to Link. Seconds later, fully green-clad, he popped up next to him.

"Well. There's a good chance we can sneak past them, but could we maybe knock them out?" Dark chewed his lip absently, staring at the purple-clad women with their wicked spears.

"Maybe – what are you doing?" Link had pulled his tunic and shirt off, pulling the tunic back on but ripping the shirt methodically into strips, shrugging his quiver off and pulling out an arrow. As his shadow watched with a mixture of curiosity and bafflement, he wrapped each of his arrows, padding them with the cloth and tying it there. All forty done, he stowed the shirt and shrugged the quiver back on, bow and five arrows in hand.

"Link-"

"Trust me." He nocked an arrow, aimed, and followed the path of each guard, firing with brutal efficiency, and Dark watched open mouthed as they each grunted and fell from the force of the arrow to the back. He didn't have time to congratulate Link on his idea, because he was being yanked from the ledge, landing jarringly, before being dragged into the first door they reached on the lowest level.

* * *

Link eased down the hall, motions slow as he made sure there weren't any guards around, when a joyous shout cut the quiet.

"Hey, you! Over here! In the cell!" Link rolled his eyes, guard down, and strode up to the cell in question, leaning his arms on the bars and smirking at the carpenter inside. He remembered this guy from his youth; none of the gang had seemed to do any work, but managed to prance around holding heavy lengths of wood (at which he now could barely even think without snickering or laughing outright)*****. Dark looked at him in question, and he shrugged, smirk growing. Dark sighed, joining him at the cell, and listened to the man gush with delight over their arrival, when his eyes got big and he made the most fascinating squeal of surprise. It eventually occurred to him, as it did Link, that the noise had been in response to something behind them. They both moved to opposite sides of the cell, watching the Gerudo thief execute a spin attack into the cell door, blades sending off a shower of sparks.

"Ooh, bad bit of luck there." Link tsked at Dark.

"Honestly, it was obviously incompetence. Don't feed her ego." The woman gaped at him as he shrugged the Master Sword out of its sheath, smiling coldly.

"If you can't hit a static target, what do you think your chances against both of us are?" Dark sighed mournfully, unsheathing his own sword, absently realizing this would be the first time he used the dragon sword in an actual fight.

"I'm sorry, old girl, but we have to waste you – it's nothing personal, but we have people to save, and honestly, you're getting in our way." She barely skipped out of the way of the twin stabs, and found herself being lazily herded around the room. A few more failed spin attacks left her with bloody slashes down the back, and the blood loss was making her dizzy. She stumbled into the flat of the blonde's sword, and was pushed hard into the wall before darkness swallowed her.

Dark caught her as she collapsed, catching the bottle of milk Link tossed him and carefully pouring it down her throat. It would heal the wounds and keep her alive without giving her the energy she needed to attack them again. He untied the key from her sash and tossed it to Link, who unlocked the cell. He looked up from dealing with the worst of her wounds to see the carpenter prance out while Link looked vaguely sickened.

"What?"

"...I think he just hit on me."

* * *

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> * Forgive the pun.
> 
> ** If you started hearing Blinded by the Light, I'm sorry. It happened to me too.
> 
> *** FOR REAL, THOUGH; WHAT THE HELL IS UP WITH HER HAND!
> 
> **** Yeah, I made a reference to Twilight Princess. XD
> 
> ***** I JUST got the joke I made. I feel like an idiot. XD
> 
> Seriously though. I didn't get the joke until I reread it.


	10. Unlocking Ice and Time

"Where the _hell_ could they have gone!" Nyche slammed the door shut and stalked out of the house, hissing oaths under her breath, Navi bobbing along worriedly behind her.

"Nyche, I'm sure they're okay-"

"Nyche! Navi! Oh, please tell me you've seen Link and Dark!" Malon rushed over to them, wiping her hands on her apron.

"One of the horses is gone, with tack – they must have ridden off together, but I don't know where..." Nyche groaned.

"Those _idiots_. They must have gone to the desert. After Link left, Ganondorf probably told the Gerudos to treat him as hostile! What the hell were they _thinking_?" She blew out a frustrated breath.

"Damn it all. I'll have to go after them. No, Malon, don't worry – I can fly." Malon wrung her hands and nodded, worry clear in her eyes.

"Be careful Nyche...I-" She paused, biting her lip.

"Just be careful for me, okay?" Nyche sighed and nodded, shifting and twisting into the sky, disappearing over the house, Navi in tow. Malon watched her go wistfully.

* * *

Link gasped as Dark pinned him to the wall.

"Shh! Get down, slowly." Link eased down the wall, feeling Dark shift away from him and crouch next to him.

"I don't know how we'll take her out."

"We have to get the last carpenter – we've made it this far."

"I know, I know...goddesses, you and your idiotic saving people thing. I'm only in this for you and the Sage." Link rolled his eyes and dug in his tunic pocket, producing a Deku nut. Dark groaned.

"Shut up and close your eyes."

The Gerudo guard wasn't expecting a miniature star to explode in her vicinity, and she certainly wasn't expecting to be knocked out by what she thought was a blonde man in green. Link brushed his hands off, wrinkling his nose.

"Sorry."

"Do you have to apologize every time we do this?" He glared at Dark, who stepped over the Gerudo and strode down the hall, Link in tow, to the final cell, where the last carpenter waved his hands at them.

"Oh, thank goodness! I thought you'd forgotten about me!"

"No, but we debated holding you for ransom from your boss." Link punched Dark in the arm, ignoring his whine of objection. Link looked up at the ceiling.

"Hey – I know one of you is up there-"

"Oh, you must have a lot of guts, kid-" Link ignored the typical rant and waited impatiently for the Gerudo guard to drop from the ceiling. She did, per usual, and was immediately gifted with a slash across the stomach and another across the arm. She yelped and stumbled back, breathing hard as the swordsman drove her into a corner, delivering two more sharp blows before jumping out of the way of her spin attack and slicing across her back, driving her to her knees. She saw stars when the pommel of the sword came down on the back of her head, and Link took the key from her, unlocking the door and dragging the carpenter out, ignoring his excited thanks and shoving him to the exit.

"Get out and stop yelling, or they'll capture you again." The man squeaked and pranced out, leaving Dark to lean in the doorway, one eyebrow raised.

"Impatient little thing, aren't we?" Link blew his hair out of his eyes.

"This gets sort of annoying after a while." Dark examined his fingernails, smirking.

"Are you sure the heat isn't getting to you?" Link groaned and scrubbed his hands across his face.

"Of course not – oh, hi." Dark turned to the Gerudo behind him, about to resign himself to a fight when she laughed.

"Well, if it isn't the king's favorite. What are you doing back here, knocking out my guards and freeing my prisoners?" Link grinned sheepishly.

"Sorry Mirani, but I need to talk to Nabooru." Mirani, a Gerudo shorter than most of her fellows with a green tattoo surrounding her left eye, strode up to Link and stared him down, hands on hips. Link was at least six feet tall, a full foot taller than Mirani, but that did nothing to deter her.

"Well, you've proven you've got guts and the ability to back them up – that makes you one of us." She produced a ragged piece of leather, stamped with the Gerudo crest and a few black inked words, and stuck her hand out, grinning. He accepted the hand warily, and found himself in a bone crushing hug, the "membership card" tied to his belt.

"You're allowed to come and go from the desert whenever you please, and use the Training Grounds – I'd do that if I were you, the only ones in the tribe currently who have passed all the trials are His Majesty and the Honourable Nabooru." She repeated the process with Dark – who seemed a little less stiff in the hug – and stepped back, grinning toothily, before striding – well, sashaying – out. Dark turned slowly to his light counterpart, one eyebrow raised in silent question.

"You don't want to know." He followed Link out past the unconscious guard, and winced a little as they strode out in the glaring sunlight, when a scream similar to a hawk's broke the quiet. They both looked up, shading their eyes against the sun, watching the serpentine form twist down to the sunbaked ground, transforming with a puff of smoke and stalking over to them, lavender eyes blazing.

"What the _hell_ were you two thinking!" Link and Dark exchanged a look and smiled sheepishly at her.

"Hi, Nyche."

* * *

She sat on the ground, glaring at her male counterparts while they explained their little mission.

"Damn it, Link! You don't have to save everyone!" He sighed.

"Come on, Nyche, it's fine – we're members, Mirani knows me, and the carpenters are safe." She growled under her breath, and he smiled affectionately at her.

"Look – now we can go into the desert, right?" She huffed and crossed her arms, unwilling to concede to his point. Link crossed the short distance between them and nudged her gently.

"Come on, Nyche, don't be mad – it wasn't like we planned it. We really were going to come back after riding up to the canyon, but I couldn't just leave them-"

"He only asked you to make sure they were okay!" He sighed and leaned back, pouting. Nyche bit her lip, fighting the urge to apologize for her snipe – she'd been _worried_. Dark hugged Link around the shoulders, smirking a little.

"She's just jealous we got to wrestle with incredibly beautiful, deadly women. She'll get over it." Link laughed outright at Nyche's sputter and subsequent curse as Dark fled her wrath, pretending to hide behind Navi, who fluttered in front of him with a resigned sigh. Link hugged Nyche from behind, preventing her from doing too much damage to Dark.

"Leave him alone, Nyche – he's just being obnoxious." She stuck her tongue out at the shadow, turning to hug Link back.

"That doesn't change the fact that I really would rather you didn't do that again – okay?" Link touched his nose to her's lightly, smiling.

"We'll try to behave better next time." Navi snorted.

"Oh, goddesses. _This_ should be fun."

* * *

Ganondorf tapped the arm of the throne slowly – each tap separated by so many seconds, the next tap was almost unexpected – and stared into the lopsided circle of glass, the edges slightly jagged on the right side.

"Nabooru." The glass shimmered, the fog twisting and fleeing to the edges to reveal his second in command.

"My lord." He sighed, eyes falling to the ring at his side.

"It will be with you soon enough. Promise me you'll assist him." Nabooru's eyes narrowed.

"My lord-"

"Nabooru, I cannot tell you what is wrong. Just promise me." He flipped the ring off the edge of the arm, watching it disappear in a flash of purple light.

"My lord, the witches – Koume and Kotake – what of them?"

"Do not trust them. Do not trust _me_ after this." Nabooru sighed.

"Ganondorf – I made that mistake seven years ago and almost died." The Gerudo king sighed.

"Promise me."

"I promise, bracha*..." Nabooru whispered, head bowed. The glass fogged over again, and the king eyed it for a moment, before shattering it with a blast of dark energy, watching the clear shards turn black as they hit the ground. A sound brought his attention to the door to the throne room.

"You." The slender man strode in, pushing some of his silver hair out of his black eyes.

"Me. Really, Ganondorf, I expected you to complete the Triforce in my absence, and yet it would seem as if you let the Triforce of Courage, which I essentially _handed_ to you, go, without bothering to attempt to locate the Triforce of Wisdom."

"We are not mere pieces of a divine relic." The Unem stopped and turned to him slowly, eyes narrowing.

"...Interesting." He summoned the silver Triforce, eyeing the two gold triangles and noted their faded hue.

"Very...interesting..." The top triangle turned solid silver as the gold seemed to peel away, glowing brighter the closer to Ganondorf it got. The Gerudo stepped back, jaw tight.

"Keep it." The shimmering, translucent triangle froze, almost as if it was taken aback. The Unem's eyes turned white.

"Excuse me?" He felt the surge of power – be it magic or something else, he didn't know – and reacted immediately as his training with the witches had taught him. White, hazy chains shot through the wall of shadow and twisted around his wrists, anchoring themselves in the wall behind him. The Unem hurled another three chains, two further binding his arms and the third twining loosely around his neck.

"I do not believe I heard you correctly – because you cannot have just _rejected_ the Triforce of Power." The Gerudo spat in response, and the Unem's eyes widened with false innocent hurt.

"Ganondorf – whatever could be wrong? I have given you every opportunity to have that which you sought for so long – everlasting peace and power without fear of rebuke. Could it be you've found _love_?" The Gerudo's struggling intensified, and the Unem hissed, all mocking gone as the chain around Ganondorf's throat constricted, causing him to choke and gasp. The gold of the Triforce became blinding as it seared itself into the man's skin and he screamed.

"You will not alter fate's passage – even I cannot do that."

* * *

Link slumped onto the sandstone, watching Dark scamper across the sands, dodging Leevers and colouring the air blue with his furious expletives. Nyche flew overhead, offering (mostly unhelpful and even insulting) advice and commenting on his failure to flee effectively. Across the sands, he noted the crack in the stone and wondered what was behind it.

"Dark, quit messing around and follow me."

" _Messing_ -" He yelped and hissed as another one of the spiny, rough skinned creatures scraped past his leg, chafing against him before spinning off in the same direction and sinking back into the sand.

One bomb later, they all filed into the cool recesses of a particularly familiar area.

"Great. Another Great Fairy." Navi circled the fountain lazily.

"What do you think we'll get here?" Link paused, thinking. Dark had dragged him up Death Mountain and his magical endurance had been increased upon freeing the Great Fairy of Wisdom in the crater itself. The Great Fairy of Magic (faeries? They all called themselves the same thing.) had given him Farore's Wind and Din's Fire, while the Great Fairy of Power had given him his magical ability in the first place.

"Maybe another spell? That, or some skill we don't have yet." Navi nodded and gestured.

"Well, call her." Nyche watched in amusement as both men reacted in unison, and a doubly powerful version of Zelda's Lullaby rang in the air, the air literally brightening and shimmering with purple at the edges of their vision. Link gaped at Dark, who blushed and muttered something inaudible. The Fairy's cackle seemed a little less raucous than usual, but it still hurt. A few moments passed as she spoke the usual introduction and offered a spell, which Link accepted graciously, ignoring Dark's muttered commentary and Nyche's blank eyed stare at the being before them. When her final, piercing laugh faded from the air, he dragged them out of the fountain and back up to the Temple itself, further ignoring Dark's teasing of Nyche.

The temple was somewhat dark, and cool; no enemies, save for a pair of enchanted pots and a couple of Armos, stood in the first room, and other than the crawlspace to their left, there didn't seem to be any doors. They all stopped to read the inscriptions on the two enormous stones flanking the short staircase at the front of the temple, and came to the conclusion they needed to leave. The moment they left the cool, dark building, Sheik leapt from his perch above them and landed lightly, straightening with an odd expression.

"Link." The green clad hero froze, then stepped forward, uncertainty etched in his wary smile. Sheik's eyes cleared and he strode forward, yanking Link into a bone crushing hug while Nyche and Dark wondered why no one could accomplish this act without bruising the hero.

"You're okay?"

"...I'm better." The two blondes rested their foreheads against each other, smiling a little bit, and Dark was surprised at how little jealousy rose in his mind. Sheik and Zelda were often Link's closest friends – though Sheik rarely separated himself from Zelda. Their bond transcended time, similarly to how this damn war never seemed to end. He started when Nyche hugged him from behind, watching the two blondes exchange soft words, before Sheik finally pulled back, smirking.

"Well – who am I teaching the song to, you or Dark?" Link paused, a smirk of his own blossoming.

"I don't know – Navi, what do you think?"

"You _do_ do most of the work."

"Hey!" The four of them watched Dark splutter indignantly, smiles growing until he punched Link in the arm and glared. The blonde laughed and produced the Ocarina of Time, grinning.

"Relax, Dark – I won't make you sing unless I can't sleep." Sheik snorted.

"I doubt you'll be sleeping much for the next few years." Nyche raised an eyebrow.

"Years?"

"Yes – as you may have gleaned from the tablets within the temple, Link has to go back in time to complete this temple and awaken the Sage." He tilted his head.

"I do not know what will become of you and Nyche in the past, Dark, so I would advise you return to Gerudo Valley and see if you cannot do something else of use in this quest there." The sands whipped up with the wind as Sheik and Link played the Requiem of Spirit, the notes lingering hauntingly, gliding on the wind to the rest of the world, where many paused to wonder at the notes they weren't sure they hadn't just imagined.

* * *

Dark warped himself and Nyche to Lake Hylia, where he called Epona, while Link and Navi warped back to the Temple of Time. The ride back to Gerudo Valley took longer than usual – Nyche and Dark's natural curiosity led them back and forth across the field before they finally entered the Fortress. Mirani hailed them from in front of a gated area near the center of the dusty area outside of the Fortress. Epona took the unspoken cue to trot over to her, letting them dismount before heading up towards where the stables and horseback archery course was.

"Dark, Nyche – welcome back. No hero?"

"Link and Navi had an errand to run. We're looking for something to do." Mirani grinned and jabbed a thumb at the gate.

"What about the Gerudo Training Grounds? It'll be brutal, but I think you two could pull it off in record time." Her eyes sparkled.

"If the time killing aspect isn't incentive enough, there's a treasure inside – I won't tell you what, but it's definitely worth it." Dark raised an eyebrow and looked over at Nyche.

"Wanna try it?" She shrugged.

"Why not? Sheik said to find something to do. Besides, what could it hurt?" Mirani's grin grew all the wider and she stuck out her hand.

"10 Rupees and you can go at it. No time limit." He blinked and narrowed his eyes.

"We have to pay? Wow, Mirani, extortion?"

"I'm a thief, Dark – you'll get used to it."

* * *

The Gerudo Training Grounds was made up of three large chambers with several rooms that all interlocked, eventually leading to the center room. All of the original entrances were situated with enormous lion heads, each one snarling. As the two shadows moved forward, a toneless voice rang in the air.

"If you can overcome the trials in the chambers ahead, then and only then will you be qualified to hold our secret treasure!" Dark muffled a snort and Nyche mimicked the voice with over exaggerated motions. She coughed and sobered, eyes sparkling as she looked to Dark.

"Left or right?" He skipped to the left, beaming.

"Left, always." She raised an eyebrow, eyes showing her puzzlement.

"Why?" He looked scandalized.

" _Because,_ Link is left handed – besides, left is better than right, it always has been." She stared at him as he trotted down the short incline to the door, looking over his shoulder to see if she was following.

"Come _on_." Nyche joined him, watching the door rise into the stone above it with a groan and following him in. Immediately the door slammed behind them and the voice rang out again.

"Defeat all the enemies in the time limit." They shared a glance and looked up to see a pair of Stalfos descend from the ceiling (at which point Dark wondered if there were alcoves built into every dungeon-esque area they entered – enemies were always popping up from the floor or dropping from the ceiling), cackling and clattering as they advanced. A quiet chiming noise signaled the beginning of their time.

"I wonder what happens if we don't kill them in the time limit." Nyche tapped her chin in mock thoughtfulness.

"Hmm. We die?" Dark shrugged, unsheathing the Gerudo sword.

"Be careful of the sand." She started and looked down at the sand in question. It was thick and soupy – not quite quick sand, but certainly a liability in a fight. Dark had sunk to his calves, and in some spots it even swamped his knees, but he had cornered a Stalfos and resorted to hacking away at it with single minded intent. Her own fight, however, was not so simple. The second Stalfos had foregone the sand and was on the other stone platform across the room. She had the choice of struggling through the granulated molasses or staying put and forcing the certainly more mobile creature to come to her.

 _Fat chance of that happening._ She snorted and backed up a little, took a deep breath, and performed a running leap, skidding a little when she landed on the other platform and barely dodged the wild slash from her opponent. She backhanded the cackling skull and winced as its jaw flew off, flipping and sliding through the sand before sinking into it. The cackling didn't end with the loss of its lower jaw, much to her horror, and she found herself on the receiving end of a particularly vicious blow to the side from its shield. She grabbed the edge of it, jerking it up into the remains of the skull and snapping its neck with her other hand, hurling the remains into the sand and watching with numb amusement as Dark childishly stamped it into the thick mess.

"Haha!" He leapt from the sand and landed unsteadily, arms waving wildly as he struggled to regain his balance. With a little "ta-daa!" and strange hand motion that made Nyche wonder if he could be any gayer, he sashayed out of the room, humming.*

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *He's humming Lady Gaga's Alejandro in my head, if anyone wants to know. XD
> 
> Because that makes sense. -but I never claimed to make sense, so...-


	11. Unbelievable, Inescapable

Dark stared at the door that seemed to be mocking them, grinning maliciously, cackling at their inability to unlock and therefore open it.

"What did we miss?" Nyche sighed, folding her arms.

"Stop taking it so personally – this place is a maze, it's natural that we'd miss something." He pouted, eyes still narrowed on the door.

"Well. We missed something, this is a given – what?" Nyche shrugged.

"Split up?"

"Sure."

They eventually found the key sitting placidly on a platform above the lava room, much to Dark's disgust. They picked it up and returned to the doors, Nyche ignoring her 'brother's' muttering and throwing open the chest, revealing a single shimmering arrow. Like the Fire Arrows, a diamond shaped sapphire surrounded by thin tear drops that flared out like rays was embedded just beneath the head. Frost covered the arrowhead itself, and even the wood was icy.

"...Ice, maybe?" Nyche looked over her shoulder at Dark with an expression that said everything.

"What do you _think_ , Dark?" The slender man stuck his tongue out in reply, and she rolled her eyes, striding out past him.

"Let's see if Link's back yet."

* * *

They arrived in the desert and approached the temple, ducking into the cool, dark building against the blast of night wind. Dark looked around, eying the tablets with a little frustration.

"Nothing's changed, so..."

"He's not here yet," Nyche finished, feeling the same frustration. Dark sighed and shrugged his shoulders, rubbing them a little.

"Okay – I'm going to Kakariko Graveyard. I have something I need to do; wait here for me. If Link comes back, tell him I'll be back before sundown tomorrow." She raised a bemused eyebrow at that and nodded. He sang the dark notes as he walked out, disappearing in a shimmer of purple. Nyche stared at the space he'd been occupying and sighed, sitting with a thump, staring at the ceiling.

* * *

Hours (at least she thought so) passed without change; something would occasionally rumble deeper in the temple, and sometimes she thought she heard music, but she was otherwise stuck.

"Well, well, well. You must be Nyche." She started, shooting to her feet and summoning the gauntlets in the same breath, sinking into a fighting stance instantly. A giggle sounded from near the entrance, and she rose a bit, padding halfway down the short staircase.

The newcomer was a buxom Gerudo in pink; she held up her hands to show she was unarmed, one hip shifted to the side.

"Hi – I'm Nabooru, Ganondorf's second in command." Nyche nodded slowly, letting the gauntlets return to the void as she backed up off the stairs.

"Nyche – but you know that." The Gerudo dropped her hands and sauntered up the steps, leaning against the low rail and smirking up at her.

"Well, aren't you a pretty one?" she commented, tossing her high ponytail over her shoulder, leaning onto her elbows and fluttering her eyelashes at her. Nyche felt her cheeks flame and looked away, trying to remember the fantastically cool Water Temple. Another soft giggle sounded close to her ear and she gasped, stumbling away as the Gerudo straightened, lips parting in a coy smile.

"Mm...pretty and skittish..."

* * *

Nabooru had intended on leaving the ring with Mirani and returning to the Spirit Temple, but something had prompted her to bypass the Fortress entirely and simply wait in the Temple. She hadn't expected to find a bewitching blonde pouting in the front room. She stretched a little, feeling her smile widen at the slightly panicked expression in those shimmering silver-lavender eyes.

"What's wrong, Nyche, pretty one?" she murmured, stepping closer, cornering her. She slid her arms around the slim waist and arching forward, touched her nose to the blonde's pert one. Nyche squeaked and squirmed, gasping in surprise as she accidentally ground her tender body against Nabooru's. The Gerudo shuddered and muffled a moan in the girl's throat, amazed by how aroused she'd become in so short a time. Nyche's fingers curled around her biceps, slipping a little on the gold armlet, and she leaned a little bit away, panting. Nabooru stared at her soft, pouty lips and swallowed hard at the bolt of hunger that rippled through her body. She gently brought her hand up against the blonde's face, brushing her knuckles against her jaw. Nyche's eyes glazed, then fluttered closed, lips parting in a soft sigh – an unspoken invitation. Nabooru leaned forward, resting her hips against the girl's, and kissed her slowly, one hand coming up to cup the back of her head.

Nyche moaned against the Gerudo woman's warm mouth, gasping in surprise when teeth nibbled at her lower lip. She dug her fingers into the hard muscles of Nabooru's upper arms and kissed her back fervently, lights exploding behind her eyes. Nabooru eventually pulled away, eyes almost glowing with tenderness and hunger. It was unexpected – inexplicable. She backed up some, only to be pulled back by the blonde, gasping and then purring when the girl accidentally grazed her chest. Nyche flushed and began to apologize, only to have her mouth captured in another hot kiss. She purred and returned it, savored it. Her hands fell to the woman's generous curves, and she fought the urge to fondle her eagerly, flushing at the heat coursing through her.

"Nab-Nabooru-ooooh, Nabooru, s-stop..." She leaned back against the wall, eyes locked on Nabooru's heaving chest. She slowly raised her eyes and blushed hard at the raised eyebrow.

"I'm – um..." Nabooru leaned forward and kissed her shortly, catching her wrist and pulling her forward.

"Don't apologize, lovely – I don't mind you admiring me." Nyche licked her lips, eyes returning to her bosom.

"I'd love to do more than admire..."

* * *

Dark entered the Temple quietly, eyes adjusting almost instantly to the dim light.

"Nyche? Where are you?" He heard a startled gasp, shuffling, and a warm chuckle, before Nyche popped up from the platform above him, clutching a Gerudo blanket to her body, cheeks a bright scarlet.

"D-Dark! You're back!" Dark raised an eyebrow at that, looking at the blanket she was clutching to her body, trying in vain to cover the fact that she was naked.

"Nyche...what are you doing?" Another sultry chuckle floated to his ears, and he felt his eyebrow inch up even more as a Gerudo woman sat up behind Nyche, tossing thick red curls over her shoulder to lean against Nyche's back, arms slipping around her waist.

"Hello, Dark. I'm Nabooru – Ganondorf's second in command." Dark nodded, feeling a smirk growing at Nyche's deepening blush.

"Looks like a lust for the Gerudo isn't isolated to Link." Her blush seemed to intensify.

"Shut up, Dark – eep!" Nabooru squeezed her hips again, unseen by Dark, and rolled her own against the slender woman's body again, nibbling on the graceful column of her throat.

"We'll be dressed in a moment, Dark." He chuckled at her dismissal and returned to the burning desert sands, leaving Nyche to melt into the sensual Gerudo.

* * *

They joined him outside of the temple, Nabooru's arm slung lazily around Nyche's waist. Nyche leaned against her, smiling a little, as they all watched the sunrise. Dark felt a weird prickle across his body, and frowned, half turning to face Nyche and Nabooru, when Nyche cried out, panic clear in her wordless reaction. He turned completely, about to draw his sword, only to stare in horror; Nabooru and stepped away from Nyche, eyes wide and frantic, as purple and dark blue light engulfed her, and screeching cackles sounded above them. Dark only barely yanked Nyche back, knowing she was about to do something Link-like.

"Nabooru – _Nabooru_!" The Gerudo woman screamed and disappeared completely as the screeching cackles faded. Nyche stared brokenly at the spot she'd been standing in, and burst into tears.

* * *

The blue light ceased, and Link spun the Master Sword lazily, resheathing it and running out of the Temple of Time, slowing a little as his eyes landed on the path leading up the the castle.

"Link?" Navi bobbed in front of his eyes, tone concerned.

"Is everything alright?" He nodded slowly.

"I...wonder if he's okay..." Navi paused, dimming. Ganondorf again.

"I'm sure he's fine, dear – but we have a Sage to save, remember?" Link rubbed his eyes and nodded, pulling the Ocarina out.

Sand whipped around them as they landed on the platform and were ambushed.. He caught an exuberant Dark and laughed a little, nuzzling his hair.

"Missed me, huh?" His shadow leaned forward, touching his nose to his.

"A little bit..." He pulled back, expression turning solemn.

"Something happened in the past?" Link started, nodding.

"I finally met Nabooru – she sent me to get the...Silver...Gauntlets...what's wrong?" he asked, worry tinging his voice. Dark looked over his shoulder at the temple, then back to him, leading him across the sand.

"Nyche and I met Nabooru as well; I think we have more history with her than we thought, because she and Nyche had an instant attraction to one another. Nyche's torn up – Nabooru just...disappeared in dark light. We heard cackling, but I don't know who it was..." Link bit his lip, eyes rising to the temple towering above them, when he suddenly pulled the Silver Gauntlets off and pressed them into Dark's hands.

"I need to go back to Hyrule Castle – start without me. Navi, go with him." Dark blinked.

"What-"

"There's something I need to get. I'll join you as soon as I can." Dark watched him go, baffled. Navi chimed in question, and he shook his head.

"I don't know either."

* * *

Link landed in the Temple of Time and hit the ground running, ignoring the Redeads as usual and sprinting up to the castle.

"Ganondorf! Ganondorf, I know you can hear me – augh!" He yelped as he landed hard in the throne room, faced with a bored Gerudo king leaning against the wall, arms crossed across his broad chest. He rose and brushed himself off, glorying a little at how ridiculously edible the man managed to look – maybe it was shadow-born thing; Goddesses knew Dark looked absolutely ravishing all the time. He crossed the space between them, wary suddenly. The smallest smirk hovered at the corner of Ganondorf's mouth, and he was running his eyes over him in the oddest fashion.

"...Welcome back." Link nodded, feeling his hackles rise.

"Is something wrong?" he asked quietly, eyes sweeping the room. No guards – no one at all. The king chuckled, and the air around him turned cold.

"Nothing's wrong, beautiful." He whipped around in time to feel his hand burn as chains twined around his wrists and he was yanked to eye level with the smirking Gerudo, who cupped his jaw with contradicting tenderness – and out of the corner of his eyes, Link saw the flaming Triforce of Power and blanched.

"Nothing wrong at all..."


	12. Unprecedented Yet Remembered

Nyche stared at the enormous statue, then looked over her shoulder at Dark.

"He said he'd be back, right?"

"Yes – and it's been hours since. We have no map, we have no compass, we have gauntlets and a shield – but we have no _Link_." He slung the shield in question off and pushed it into her hands, wincing as he pulled off the gauntlets as well. She looked at him quizzically, and he explained, "I need a minute, is all." He sat on the suspended platform, rubbing the back of his neck.

"Feel free to shoot light at her face or something." Nyche complied, fumbling with the shield, and finally directing a beam of light onto the stone face. It rumbled, and finally crumbled, revealing a grate and a door.

"Uhg. This should be fun."

* * *

They entered a long room inhabited by two floating hags and a larger than usual Iron Knuckle. The two hags shrieked cackles, and both of Link's shadows felt shivers of recognition run down their spines.

"Well, well, well – look what's come upon our lair, Koume! A pair of little adventurers."

"Wannabe heroes, Kotake? How scintillating." Both hags cackled again, circling the Iron Knuckle.

"They wish to interfere with the great Ganondorf's plans!"

"Insolent little maggots!" gasped the left most hag, who then cackled, black robes billowing a little to reveal red slippers.

"We know how to deal with _these_ heroes; minion! Deal with them!" The twin cackles sounded again as they disappeared in puffs of white smoke. The Iron Knuckle rose, armour clanking ominously. It reached back, undeniably for a weapon, only to pause, almost as a humorous anecdote – but there was nothing humorous about the enormous axe that dropped into its hands with a snap and another puff of white smoke. Dark backed up, paling a little at the size of the enemy, then scolding himself. He'd fought three foes larger, one alone – but they'd been somehow different than a possibly flesh and blood _warrior_. Navi chimed in alarm, crying, "This isn't a normal Iron Knuckle, guys; it's much faster – Dark!" He barely rolled out of the way as the enormous axe whistled over his head and then back around at astonishing speeds, obviously with the intent of decapitating him. Nyche caught him out of the roll, just as stunned.

"Goddesses – move!" Dark swore and ripped the dragon sword from its sheath, fury boiling. He didn't like being attacked any more than the next person – but he was the Hero of Time's shadow and he would be _damned_ if something like this pathetic mockery of a true warrior killed him! Nyche gasped as he shot to his feet and slammed into the Knuckle, catching the axe with one hand and slamming his shield into its face. Two Triforces blazed against the silver of the gauntlets even as he forced the Iron Knuckle back, dropping at the last moment and throwing it off balance. Nyche judged it time to move herself and leapt up onto the descending axe, twisting various pieces of (obviously unnecessary) armour off the huge form. She landed lightly next to Dark, freeing the discus at her waist. Dark stopped her with a touch, eyes narrowed as he searched for something while their foe was off-balance. He produced an odd, triangular object, its blue hull gleaming a little. Nyche looked at him in confusion, and he replied to the unasked question, "Minimize damage." The bombchu hit the suddenly slowed Knuckle dead on; three more followed, blasting armour away from it little by little.

Unfortunately, less armour meant more mobility. The axe whipped around and into Dark's shield hard and fast; the blows continued to land, and almost hit Dark himself too often for comfort, when Nyche decided ignoble was better than nothing; she stuck her foot out and watched the Iron Knuckle surge forward and slam into the wall. The last bits of armour dissolved in blue fire, but unlike the time before, the warrior itself did not disappear.

" _Nabooru_?" Nyche shot forward, pulling the stunned Gerudo to her feet.

"Nabooru!" She started, amber eyes slowly filling with awed recognition.

"N-Nyche? But I – I was kidnapped in the past-"

"Well. It seems they broke the spell, sister."

"It does, sister." Dark spun his sword in low circles, eyes locking onto the two newly appeared hags – and he wondered why he hadn't remembered them immediately.

"Koume. Kotake." Both hags screeched giggles, hovering.

"Oh, sister! He remembers us!" The hag bearing the red motif giggled again, pointing to Nabooru.

"But she, sister, is the problem. She's just a little girl, but she curries much respect among the Gerudo." The blue motif'd sister cackled, and Dark seriously considered throwing Nyche's discus into her windpipe.

"True sister – she was a good little minion. Perhaps we should brainwash her into the great Ganondorf's service again?" Her twin merely cackled, and before Dark could react, hurled a blast of light at Nabooru – and subsequently, at Nyche.

" _No!_ " The blast engulfed both woman, and the two hags disappeared again, their malicious mirth echoing in his ears. He stared at the spot Nyche and Nabooru had been standing in and felt the fury Link had described unfurling in his heart. Navi stammered, "The door-". He looked up, eyes glowing a little (something Navi attributed to the dim light, not some strange force in Dark himself...), and moved forward, stride taking on a purposeful length. She flew after him, feeling a strange prickle run down her spine.

This was almost over – right?

* * *

They climbed the nearest enormous platform and leapt to the center one, sword and shield held lazily.

"Look at that foolish child; he came on his own to offer himself as a sacrifice to the great Ganondorf..." The cackles rang out again as the lights dimmed (again...Dark worried about the effects of the theatricality on their already senile minds.) and blazing runes appeared on the platforms to his left and right. The witch with the red motif rose from the left in unison with her sister to the right, saying, "With my flame, I will burn him to the bone!" She spun into the air, age-frosted hair erupting into flames with an (again, unnecessary) blast of fire. To this, her sister replied, "With my frost, I will freeze him to his soul!", rising in the same fashion to take on icy luminescence with a puff of frost. The jewels perched on their foreheads shimmered with dormant power as they screeched cackles again, rising above him to circle, prepared to destroy him. He felt a vicious grin spread across his face, and he sheathed his sword, eyes sparkling.

"Hyi lameinha, tenta." Both witches screeched in fury at the taunt, but moved no faster, circling him like overdressed vultures. The fire hag came to a rest in front of him, and he immediately whirled around, whipping the Mirror Shield up in time to catch the blast of ice and direct it carefully behind him. The fire hag squealed and whirled away. He repeated the process painstakingly, but after three hits each, it would seem the witches had had enough.

"Okay, it's time to get serious now, Kotake!" He could almost hear the eyeroll in her sister's reply of, "Oh, okay Koume." He watched them whirl around one another, screaming something incomprehensible to him (what in all the Void's hells is dynamite?), when their combined magics exploded, revealing-

"Oh, of all the Goddess-sanctioned things to be unfair!" Twinrova giggled and winked, smirking saucily at his irritation. Navi stared up at her, then down at him.

"Dark, what-"

"I feel like Ganondorf did that on purpose – fuck!" He dodged the first blast, forgetting in a moment what he was doing, before catching the second blast of fire. The shield pulsed and hummed, the mirrored surface taking on the colours of fire. He stared at it for a moment, before it clicked. This would be far simpler than he'd previously imagined – too simple...

* * *

The two hags bickered furiously, before he summoned the natural magic he rarely used and flung them hard into the Void. Both hags morphed into their younger selves almost instantly (and probably painfully) as they landed in Dark's sanctum. Both woman rose as he summoned the shadowed Master Sword and leveled it on them.

"Look – as much as I'd like to reminisce, you have a meeting with the Goddesses and _I_ have a hero to save – where the hell is Nyche?" Both women swallowed, before Kotake tossed her deep red hair over her shoulder and straightened, pale blue eyes flaming. They'd turn amber with age, but currently, with the Void dragging them back to their prime, they reflected her element of choice.

"She will be with the Sage – but be warned, shadow of Time; our son has lost his soul again to the meddling of your god's messenger. The harm he may have done to your hero..." She shook her head mournfully.

"Remember that the love he felt for your hero gave your hero his first power – the power that created you." Dark froze, memories washing through him, before he shook his head sharply, and released his hold on the Void. They snapped back into reality and both women, returned to their advanced age, floated into the ceiling, surrounded by a light generally eschewed with the death of the wicked. It only caused him more suspicions.

"Dark, is everything alright?" He nodded once, padding over to where he'd felled Twinrova and lifted the Heart Piece, stowing it, before going to the head of the room where the blue light flared from the ground.

"Navi..." She hovered in front of him, flying backwards.

"Yes, Dark?" she replied, puzzled by his sudden solemnness. He sighed, pushing hair out of his eyes.

"This is the last one, Navi – the last one before we face Ganondorf himself. I don't know what's going to happen next." He _hated_ that. The fairy chimed reassuringly, circling him.

"Dark, you're the shadow of the Hero of Time, but you're more than that." He paused, looking up. Through the hazy halo of her aura, he could see her smiling softly down at him.

"You're my friend, Dark – and I have faith in you."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There's some made up Hylian in there, and I never bothered to make a translation for it. Use your imagination.


	13. Unbelievably Sorry

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Reference to crucifixion following, no insult intended.

They landed lightly in the Temple of Time, the Sages' words ringing in Dark's ears. Vengeance had been promised in Nabooru's eyes – for Nyche was gone. Dark couldn't sense her, and Link had yet to resurface. Navi shot ahead of him, passing over the alter and pausing over the warp pad, waiting for Dark to join her. He moved at a more sedate pace, wary – when Sheik appeared.

Zelda returned to her original form without preamble, holding her hands out to Dark.

"The time has come," she murmured, voice melodic. She summoned the weapon she'd planned to give to Link and lowered them into Dark's hands.

"Light arrows," she explained at his raised eyebrow, eyes flicking to the golden shafts. The arrowhead too had a gold wash to it, and the tip was gone – replaced by a tip of yellow diamond that ran down the entire arrow head in a shimmering stone vein.

"They are imbued with the power of Light – they, with the Master Sword, are the power needed to fell Ganondorf." Dark's eyes spoke to his concern, and her own amethyst gaze replied that there was likely no other way. Their silent interaction ended when the Temple's foundations groaned and buckled; the walls shook as dark power shattered the final barrier of power, peaking in an odd violet shell that materialized around the princess with a ringing sound like a gong – a sound that was no sound.

"Zelda!" Dark jerked forward, fingers splaying across the crystalline surface. Navi chimed in horror, the sound echoing Zelda's expression.

"N-No!"

"Foolish child. Did you truly believe _love_ would conquer me? An imbecile and a traitor." Dark stepped back, freeing the Gerudo dragon blade.

"Ganondorf!" he shouted, enhanced fury boiling just beneath the surface. Ganondorf's laugh rang through the cathedral.

"Speaking of traitors – how are you, shadow? Has life as a _hero_ been treating you well?" Dark's fingers curled painfully around the sword's hilt.

"Welcome back, boy." Zelda disappeared with another ringing sound. Dark wasted no time running from the Temple, skidding in the dirt as he dodged ReDeads, his footfalls loud in the oppressive silence. The power of the Sages washed over him, solidifying in a chromatic bridge, its prism-sharp surface seeming to have no traction. He slowed as he approached it, eyeing it warily. A cautious step forward proved safe, and he again broke into a headlong run, praying he wouldn't slide off into the boiling lake of lava below.

* * *

Two Beamos were ignored as he continued to run, but he found himself unable to ignore the sudden cacophony in his head.

"Augh!"

"Dark!" Navi gasped as he sank to his knees, clutching his head.

" _Save us! Damn it, Dark, now! It's almost too late!_ Hurry! _"_ Nabooru's insistent tones said everything she didn't, and he was again up and moving, struggling through the oppressive magics in the air to the first door he saw – deep green, with the emblem of the Forest Temple emblazoned on it.

Four more doors later, he dispelled the final barrier, but Nabooru didn't disappear immediately.

"Dark! You can't wait, you need to find Nyche! He took Nyche – I don't know what was wrong with him, he's never – not even when he was angry – oh, Goddesses, _stop him_!" She gave him no more explanation, all but throwing him from the room with another sharp bark of, " _Go!_ ", before she too disappeared. The door in the center of the room opened – how convenient – and Dark stumbled through, feeling exhaustion for the first time in...years, really.

"No wonder I feel so sick," he rasped with forced humour, trudging up the stairs – and _Goddesses,_ was he going to pummel Ganondorf for all the stairs. Navi circled him fearfully.

"Are you alright, Dark?"

"I've been in the mortal realm too long – I'm losing shape, and my tolerance to darkness is waning," he replied, as if it was nothing of note. Navi realised he was right; his form was occasionally insubstantial, wraith-like in consistency.

"A-Are you sure you can do this?"

"Have to," came the dull reply.

"D-Dark! Oh my Goddesses..." Dark stared, energy surging back into him with the blast of emotion.

"Oh, Nyche...No..." The soul shadow hung limply, spikes driven through each wrist into the twisted, lopsided wood jutting out of the ground at a slight, drunken angle. Dried blood streaked each wrist and the chains crisscrossing her body, each link barbed and sunken into her skin. Her mouth had been stitched shut, the haphazard stitches stained crimson. A message glowered from her bare abdomen, etched there and lit with sickly mage-light.

_'To all who rise above their place and seek to destroy their rightful master-_

_Yours is a finite existence.'_ Dark felt bile rise in his throat, yet knew he wouldn't vomit – he didn't have anything to spare. Navi's sobs were a strange sound to behold, and in his daze even more so; a mournful, low chime, more akin to bells rung with death than the fairy bells he generally associated her sounds with.

"Ganondorf...you sick fuck..." He felt the urge to vomit rise again and struggled with it, unable to tear his eyes from his counterpart's body. She was almost his sister – she was _precious_ to him, as precious as Link or – or Navi, or _Malon_. Blood pounded in his ears, and he began to summon what power he could spare – and that was nothing, truly, but he had to fix this! The shadows constricted around him, and for a short moment his vision went dark – his heart likely stopped beating, but he continued to pour his strength, his will, into the darkness, and when it finally disintegrated and he fell to his knees, the wood and Nyche were gone. He stared, sight darkening and growing fuzzy again, when a soft shimmer of light washed over him.

"What-"

" _She is not lost, Dark – give us the last of your strength, and receive ours. You will need it."_ The Sages spoke as one, their voice oddly off-key – as if they were missing something, or someone. Dark fought to lever himself from the floor, ignoring the clamoring in his head – the darkness Ganondorf had bred to turn itself on a weakened hero. He would not give up, despite their words – would not simply retreat, return to the shadows, abandon a thankless quest for his own comfort – he would not fall. The Medallions fell, one after another, from the void, with heavy clangs – each one seeming imbued with a sense of their element. Saria's Medallion sent up a puff of dust with its impact, the grit scented with earth and fresh leaves. Darunia's smelled of iron and released the taste of wood smoke into the air; Ruto's, water and rain, the smell and sound. Impa's held the stench of death, and Nabooru's the sound of singing, laughing, screaming, crying, and a lone voice beneath it all, murmuring of something he could not understand. Each Medallion also held a feeling from each Sage; wariness and patience from Rauru, soft acceptance and hope from Saria, friendship and pride from Darunia, haughtiness and love, if only platonic, from Ruto, strength and kinship from Impa, and determination and love from Nabooru. He stared at the disks, feeling weaker with each passing moment.

 _'Breathe, Dark.'_ He inhaled deeply, then exhaled with a sharp gasp as the Medallions blazed with light, and a soft hoot sounded above. His darkening eyes saw the owl disappear into the shadows even as a stray feather floated down, brushing his forehead – and with a blast of light, strength surged through him, a new power he could barely fathom. He gasped again, and inhaled, stunned by the sensation. He rose, rolling his shoulders a little as the Medallions returned to the void, Navi circling him excitedly. He stared at her blazing aura, a darker blue than usual, and grinned wolfishly.

"Ready?"

* * *

They cleared the stairs and found themselves in a large room containing little more than four platforms, a few doors, and quite a few pots. Dark ignored them, eyes flicking around the gloom.

"Ganondorf?"

"Nothing so sinister, love," quipped that beloved voice, and Navi bobbed in surprise, the motion echoing Dark's feeling. Link stepped forward, the Master Sword's tip moving in a small circle a bare inch from the stone floor, its wielder smirking, the expression turning his eyes cold. Dark stiffened, and silently berated himself for being aroused when he was likely about to have to fight for his life. Before he could do anything, however, Navi loosed a shriek so unearthly Dark was slightly surprised he'd recognised the sound at all, and shot forward, her aura blazing brighter than ever before. Link swore and barely ducked, but the fairy was having none of it, though she and her former partner now resembled someone trying to shoo away a particularly lusty fly. She swooped down into the Hero of Time's face, screeching, and would have continued the assault if Nyche hadn't blended out of the shadows and attacked Link herself.

Unfortunately for both shadows, Link had not spent time with Ganondorf for so long and not had some of his mannerisms rub off on him. Nyche found the air being driven from her lungs as Link brought up his knee and unceremoniously threw her over his shoulder, smiting Navi to the side without a backward glance in the same breath. He whipped the Master Sword from its resting position, and strode forward, apparently unconcerned with Nyche and Navi. Dark took in his stoic expression and grinned, the expression barely more than bared teeth – his light counterpart may have spent these last few weeks bound to a mad Gerudo king, but Dark was his shadow, and knew better than any how to make him shatter.

* * *

Nyche straightened, breath labored, in time to see Link freeze and barely bring up his shield in time to deflect a barrage of strikes from Dark. The Hero's shadow swung for his head and swept out his foot in the same motion; Link somersaulted over the sweep and drove the Master Sword into Dark's back, the blade skidding off the Mirror Shield slung across his back. Dark whipped around and backhanded Link, Golden Gauntlets leaving a sizable mark across his jaw. The Hero stumbled back, one hand to his jaw, eyes flicking between his shadow and his hands.

"Pleasant," he purred, easing forward again. Dark snorted, spinning the dragon blade in inhumanly fast arcs, a shining blur in the darkness. They shot forward in unison again, shields disregarded on both sides, all attention on one another's swords. Link's attacks began to falter and return to their usual, consistent and expected pattern, and Dark saw his chance. The blonde delivered what could have been a crippling thrust to his stomach, and Dark levered himself up and onto the blade, driving his blade down into his opponent. Link's oath and subsequent shield bash to Dark's face left him dazed, but not out of commission. Nyche sought a chance to enter the fray, but found the deadly dance impenetrable – this was between Dark and Link. The blonde rolled under a low backhanded chop meant to slice across the back of his knees and kicked up, throwing Dark forward, leaping to his feet and capitalizing on the advantage, raining blows down onto the shadow's back. Dark gasp as the Master Sword slipped under the shield and bit into his side. He lashed out blindly, hitting Link square in the face, and saw his chance. He broke away from their invisible axis of violence and shot into the next room, taking the stairs two at a time, hearing Navi's cry of surprise and Link's pursuit behind him. He came to what he assumed was another door to another staircase, and forced it open, whirling around and just barely parrying Link's strike. He stared in horror as the blade forced Link's aside and buried itself into his stomach. Link's eyes went wide, and his fingers twitched, the Master Sword falling with a sullen clank as Link's fingers scrabbled over the hilt of Dark's sword, slipping in his own blood. He clutched the dark hilt, staring pleadingly into Dark's horrified carmine gaze, gasping something incomprehensible as blood bubbled his mouth.

"No – no, no, no, Link! No!" Navi's scream snapped Dark from the fog of horror, and he only barely resisted the urge to tear the dragon sword from Link's body, clutching his shoulders.

"Link! Oh, Goddesses, Link – I'm-I-Link, I – I'm so-"

"Sorry?" came that dark, icy drawl, and he froze, rare terror coursing down his spine.

"Are you _sorry,_ Dark?"


	14. Unlikely Heroics in Light

Dark stared up at the sneering Gerudo, fingers clenched in Link's blood-dark tunic, the dark blossom of his life blood spreading hideously slowly.

"You son of-"

"Now now, Dark – don't insult the mother I never knew," chuckled the Gerudo, striding forward. Zelda floated above them, fingers splayed across the translucent gem's surface as she stared down at them. Ganondorf stared down at them, arms folded.

"I fully intended on taking on all three Triforce pieces – but something stopped me. Do you know what, Dark?" The Hero's shadow didn't reply, eyes locked on his ashen light counterpart.

"Love, Dark." He froze, eyes lifting from Link to the suddenly serious Gerudo.

"I allowed love, insidious as it is, to control me, and in that moment I released a piece of the Triforce and vowed never to seek it again. I even sought, foolishly, to reject the piece that is bound to me," he continued, eyes focused on something no one else could see.

"I can no longer seek the Hero's piece – but he is only one of three who can hold that Triforce, and should it be transferred, I needn't break my promise." He smirked now, eyes bright with some alien fervor.

"I need only for him to expel his last breath, and for the Triforce piece to seek another, equally powerful pawn – you, shadow I once sought to control. You." He laughed, the sound harsh with what Dark could only identify as insanity.

"It is nothing short of genius – to thwart _love!_ The irony makes it all the sweeter – for is Nayru not the Goddess of Love, and is it not by her chosen warrior's will that you even stand here at all? Yes, if is because of _love_ that you, and all of your pathetic Light's heroes, shall perish!" Perhaps he was foolish – and foolhardy, to think he could challenge the King of Evil, even in all his power, Sage augmented and natural. He didn't think – a habit he generally chastised his Light counterpart for – only acted. The shadow magic should have obliterated him, or at least driven him back into the Void, unable to leave until such a time that Zelda or Ganondorf could call him. It should have brought him to his knees, weakened as he was. Perhaps it was because of those shoulds that it did not – perhaps he'd forgotten the essence of who he'd once been. The darkness swallowed him, and he began to give up, as he felt the artificial life in Nyche fade and Link's waning heartbeat slow before stopping entirely. He threw all hope to the wind and curled in on himself, agony and anguish ripping him to pieces – and then it ended. Abrupt and sharp, he pushed away from himself and rose. The darkness retreated, and he saw Ganondorf's madness, the blast of magic released with little or no control – he accepted it. It twisted into him and dispelled.

"Ganondorf," he started, "I know – I know you didn't mean for this to happen." Whispers of his self-righteous hypocrisy weaved through his consciousness – did he not envy this man Link's love, loathe him for the destruction of the world he'd once held dear? Hate. Had it done anything but destroy his world?

"Ganondorf," he repeated, and again accepted another explosion of darkness, feeling his body solidify further. Something else spoke in his mind, and he froze – the Beast. He stepped back now, breathing hard. His eyes snapped to his dying counterpart – and how did he still live? Shivering, he stumbled back more, disoriented.

"L-Link – Link-" Why wasn't he scared, or in pain? What?

 _Return to your place, foolish shadow._ He gasped and felt more than saw the world turn red.

* * *

Memories and sounds, smells and tastes, bombarded his mind – he struggled to maintain a semblance of consciousness. What had happened? He could recall returning to the castle, leaving his partners in the desert, but what had occurred now? He shivered and gasped – he was, rather bizarrely, impaled, as it were. He curled his fingers around the sword and tugged, not thinking; liquid fire and icy lightning clashed in his midsection and he doubled over with a sob. Through tears and gathering shadows, he saw Dark and Ganondorf – Ganondorf paradoxically both arrogant and confused, even scared; Dark doubled over in a similar, albeit more upright position to his own. He was gasping for breath, hands clutching at the air viciously. A voice, soft and almost unremembered, rang in his mind.

 _Link, the Beast has regained control of Dark, as he meant to before – stop them both! We have little more to give you, but please...please remember we're here for you._ Not one voice, but eight – the Sages. He shuddered and struggled to his feet, unnoticed by the gloating presence that had batted Ganondorf aside in his own mind and bound Dark in his own body. Old memories – far more ancient even than those of Dark – whispered and screamed, and a voice he knew all too well now spoke in his ear.

"I can see my point has been made – to the one who matters. Reunite yourself with the darkness that protects you and seal the Beast. I cannot promise the Dark King will be whole once more, but I can give you this." He gasped as familiar power surged through him, and the Unem stepped back.

"Rise, Chosen of Farore, Hero of Time – Link. Drive out darkness once more and restore balance to Hyrule – make your Fate!" The Triforce shard blazed, and an innocuous rosy form shimmered free of the bottle he hadn't realized he'd unstoppered.

 _Heroic instincts._ He snorted and rose, lifting the Master Sword and smiling at the familiar weight. The smile was short-lived as he against found himself face to face with his shadow – and he doubted he would be well-received.

* * *

 _Kill him!_ He surged forward, the crimson world blurring in his impossible speed; the sole colour beside red was green, making the hero insultingly easy to hone in on. However, whatever he'd expected, his reaction was not it.

Link hurled his shield and ducked the blind blow, kicking out into Dark's knees; this was not the time to fear for his shadow's life or his mind – he had faith, and it was enough. He didn't bother trying to do anything fancy (his life was on the line, and something was eating the Gerudo man's soul, essentially – time was a nonentity here); the Hookshot connected solidly with Dark's shoulder and drove him back with enough force to slam him into the wall and knock him out. A blast of light sent Ganondorf flying just in time for Link to turn out of the way of his magic attack. He gaped as the Princess of Hyrule summoned another blazing lotus of magic, turning this one to Dark.

"Princess-"

"Not now, Link! The arrows, the golden arrows – take them. I will heal Dark. Navi, go with him – hurry!" Zelda watched the green-clad hero scale the enormous pillar, the ceiling having been obliterated by the force of Zelda's attack. She froze when she felt the shift in consciousness from Dark and mentally swore, turning quickly.

"Dark."

"Princess." The shadow's eyes had the same oily, unfocused look she recalled from – somewhere; an old memory of a kidnapping, or some such nonsense. The here and now were far more relevant and possibly fatal. The shadowy Master Sword whipped past her head and down toward her shoulders; she dropped and rolled, barely yanking up the discarded Mirror Shield as she summoned a spear of light. Sheik's relentless training in the shadow world was summoned in a moment, and she rose, shield up, spear lowered to Dark's chest. The shadow chuckled.

"Brave – foolish, and brave." She smiled genially at him.

"Even the bravest fool will prevail with faith and love." He snorted and swung. She caught the blade on the spear shaft, skidding backward. Sparks flew and lit the air in bright flashes, illuminating determined and bloodlust blank eyes. Zelda against found herself corned, spinning the spear and occasionally performing fast shield bashes, searching with rapidly increasing desperation for a way out. Dark wasn't fighting her in a fashion she was familiar with – the attacks were too efficient, too intensely focused on quickly disarming and stunning the enemy. The aggressive power was gone – he was a puppet. Taking a deep breath, she stared him in the eyes, dropping the shield with a heavy clang. The spear disappeared with a muted flash.

"Dark." The shadow slowed, eyes narrowed – he sensed or knew she was up to something (she wasn't exactly being subtle).

"Wake up." The flash was, in a word, searing.

* * *

Link panted, weaving a little.

"Navi, this isn't working – I can't hit him often enough and there aren't enough arrows-"

"Link, shut up and charge your magic attack."

"What-"

"Don't ask, just do it!" He groaned but nevertheless did as he was told, confused. Navi screeched shrilly for him to move, and luckily for his lagging mind, his body responded. The sickly orbs were reflected, and he fumbled an arrow into his bow, barely hitting him. The ensuing scream was nothing a human could have created – all cracking glass and searing lightning. He gasped, stumbling back as the Evil King's body fell.

"Link!" He turned, stumbling when Zelda all but slammed into him.

"Z-Zelda-"

"No time! This way!" He barely recognised she was leading him through a rapidly crumbling castle; Evil's last breath expelled enough power to destroy the land around them, but the magic of the Sages held it together. The castle was another matter entirely.

"Link!" The princess's scream _did_ penetrate his dizziness – heroic instincts again. He yelped and ducked the furious Lizalfo's attack, swearing loudly and in several languages, beheading it with an overpowered swing. Din's Fire toasted the next two to a nice charred state, and he all but threw Zelda through the door. They stumbled from the castle for the final time and stared up at it as it crumbled and dissolved beneath waves of dark energy.

"I-It's over-" Link slapped a hand over the princess's mouth.

" _No,_ it's not, and don't _say_ that – that's all we need, he'll just come back from the dead or something equally unfair-" The roar cut him off, and he answered with more vulgarity.

" _See_? Don't _say_ things like that!" He was bone weary, bloodied, emotionally exhausted, and barely coherent. One more fight wasn't anything, right?

Except he could feel himself fading again – the wound Dark had given him hadn't healed completely, and he was trembling uncontrollably; the Master Sword dipped and wove in a drunken dance barely an inch from the blackened earth. Zelda finally noticed the hero's sad condition, but could do little more than he – her powers were directly linked to the amount of danger she was in, and the Triforce currently registered the hero as being conscious, and therefore able to protect her. It was an artifact, and not infallible – it was not the Goddesses themselves.

"Link, I'm so sorry – we don't have a choice-"

"Oi! Leggo, flutterbug, go away! Link, go over there – actually, give me that-" Link gaped as the Master Sword was unceremoniously yanked from his hands, "and give the Light Arrows to Nyche." Dark glowered at him.

"Don't just _stand_ there, dummy! Give them to her!" The soul shadow smiled apologetically at him, holding out a hand. He handed them over numbly, staring. The Sages stood in a semi-circle behind the two shadows.

"I'm tired of them ordering us around in their safe little Chamber – and since, technically, you're the only one who can kill Ganon, we're going to need help, they may as well do some work for once." Saria giggled even as Rauru glared at him. Dark shrugged, wincing as the many wounds he'd accumulated twinged and burned.

"Rest up, brighty, and don't hesitate to jump in if one of us is about to die." He smirked.

"You're good at that." Another inhuman bellow shook the earth as Ganondorf's body, blazing with sickly light, rose from the ruins of his fortress. Chest heaving, he shuddered in midair, Triforce of Power glowering furiously from his dark hand. With another scream of pain, he morphed with rays of green witchlight, and the Beast emerged to take on its eternal foe once more – however, the darkness that had spawned it had other ideas.

"And now we have our choice, Master – speak now and let them choose their new Fate." The Unem snapped bright wings out against the shadows, ignoring the Beast's roar of anger. Something roared in their minds.

 _The spiral will be rewrought in silver and sunlight. Let this fight begin the descent._ Ganon bellowed in defiance and hurtled forward, motions slow but powerful. Dark levered himself forward, aided by Saria's magics. Ruto hurled something into the air, and Link recognised the Zora's Sapphire. Blue light engulfed the battlefield, backlit by bolts of lightning heralded by snarls of thunder. The Zora Sage knelt, hands clasped, and began to chant, a liquid prayer to Nayru, light blazing from her core like a miniature silver sun. Darunia slammed the Goron's Ruby into the earth, roaring a battle cry; his chant melded like redhot liquid rock with Ruto's, golden light unfurling from him like restless flames. Saria completed the ritual, tossing the Kokiri's Emerald into the air and catching it in the midst of a twirl; her sung chant rose above the others like sweet wind, and white light swirled around her. Rauru had joined the fallen Hero and Princess, chanting a soft healing prayer over them; Nabooru and Impa entered the fray, blazing with copper and amethyst light.

* * *

Dark felt the mix of old tribal magics and ancient Sage spells, born of prayer, pushing him forward, coaxing inner magics he'd forgotten and cast aside from their dormant state. Blasts of light from the Arrows exploded like fireworks above him as he hacked away at Ganon. A glancing blow disarmed him, but he was far from nullified; first the Master Sword's dark twin, then the Gerudo blade, were utilized against the furious Beast in time. He finally drove it to its knees, stumbling back with a gasp. His lungs burned as he blinked through sweat and blood, struggling to see in the darkness. A ray of light suddenly engulfed their foe, and all eyes turned to Zelda, standing tall and proud despite her wounds.

"Link, the Master Sword! Deliver the final blow!" Dark almost overlooked his risen light counterpart, and if it had not been for his heightened senses, would have missed his movement; the Hylian hero shot forward, delivering the fatal strike to Ganon's head, Evil's Bane buried between his eyes. Azure light akin to Link's eyes blazed and rippled up and down the blade, engulfing the Beast. It screamed and flailed, writhing in its death throes, but all for naught; it finally fell, and the Sages gathered their final power, flinging prayers to the skies as they sought to bind the Beast for good. Ganondorf, driven into his old form but without any of his old mind, ranted and raved, but nothing came of it. The white/black of the Void closed and sealed, and the heroes turned to the new day without apprehension or purpose – a day in the new peace.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Pathetic excuse for an ending. I HAD a prequel thing in mind for this and a sequel, but whether or not I post those ever is another thing entirely. There's a companion piece that follows that may or may not clarify things.


End file.
